Roman Holiday in 2016
Tour diary
9.10.16. Rome
10.10.16. Rome
11.10.16. Rome-Vatican
12.10.16 Rome/Florence
13.10.16 Florence
14.10.16. Florence - Chianti
15.10.16 Florence-Pisa/Venice
16.10.16. Venice
17.10.16. Venice-Murano-Burano
18.10.16. Venice/Milan
09/10/2016
We (Mohua and I) took 10.00 am Air India flight (from Dum Dum Airport, Kolkata) to reach Rome via Delhi. Today is Ashtami of Durga Pujo. We reached Delhi at around 12 05 pm. Our next connecting flight is at 2.20 pm. When I reached Rome it is 6 pm local time. I considered myself quite lucky to get the direct flight from Kolkata. The price I paid is only Rs 35,500/- return fare, per person. Of course I bought the ticket almost a year back! In the Calcutta airport, I met a group of 9 people from a travel agency from S P Mukherjee Road (near Kalighat Metro). I have been told that almost 10 people of their group has been denied visa ! They don't even know, where is their hotel ! Somebody will come to pick up at the airport. They are without their tour guide.
Before reaching Rome, I have heard that in Italy, you need to know only two languages: Italian and Bengali. I never knew it is not a joke ! It is actually true !
I got to know from the Italian driver (after reaching Rome) of the travel company that, their hotel is not near Roma Termini. So I cannot get a lift ! I was sensing the opportunity, that I might get a free lift , since many seats are vacant! After getting down at the airport, I met a Bangladeshi who dropped somebody at the airport. Since they were going back, I made a deal, they will drop us at the hotel at the fare I would have paid to the Roma Metro rail. I paid them 20 Euro for two of us ! Our hotel in Via Calatafimi is around 7-8 minutes walk from Via Marshala (Via or phonetically Veeaa means road) exit of Roma Termini (Rail station cum Metro rail station).
After getting down from the Taxi, after some effort we found our hostel. To our surprise we found, the song "Coffee house er sei addata ar nei " by Manna Dey, is being played there !! The hostel is owned by Bangladeshis !! We were put up in a room two blocks away from that building. There is a kitchen too. We were told that there are some Bangladeshi restaurants nearby - where we can have reasonably cheap food for the dinner.
On the way to the restaurant we saw a departmental store owned by Bangladeshis. Nayeem and Milan sit at night. We bought some food for tomorrow's breakfast. It is open till 1 am.
Before reaching Rome, I have heard that in Italy, you need to know only two languages: Italian and Bengali. I never knew it is not a joke ! It is actually true !
I got to know from the Italian driver (after reaching Rome) of the travel company that, their hotel is not near Roma Termini. So I cannot get a lift ! I was sensing the opportunity, that I might get a free lift , since many seats are vacant! After getting down at the airport, I met a Bangladeshi who dropped somebody at the airport. Since they were going back, I made a deal, they will drop us at the hotel at the fare I would have paid to the Roma Metro rail. I paid them 20 Euro for two of us ! Our hotel in Via Calatafimi is around 7-8 minutes walk from Via Marshala (Via or phonetically Veeaa means road) exit of Roma Termini (Rail station cum Metro rail station).
After getting down from the Taxi, after some effort we found our hostel. To our surprise we found, the song "Coffee house er sei addata ar nei " by Manna Dey, is being played there !! The hostel is owned by Bangladeshis !! We were put up in a room two blocks away from that building. There is a kitchen too. We were told that there are some Bangladeshi restaurants nearby - where we can have reasonably cheap food for the dinner.
On the way to the restaurant we saw a departmental store owned by Bangladeshis. Nayeem and Milan sit at night. We bought some food for tomorrow's breakfast. It is open till 1 am.
 |
| Milan and Nayeem (Right) |
Then we went to have dinner at a restaurant owned by an Egyptian - where Pizza were sold by weight - 10 Euro per kg (called Pizza by slice). For me 300 gm is enough. His helper is a Bangladeshi !
Understand the History
Italy’s great food, beautiful countryside, fabulous wine and long history make it most exceptional country to visit. No life is complete without a trip to Italy. The vineyards in Florence, the ancient streets in Rome, the laid back nature of Southern Italy (Napoli), the gorgeous Cinque Terre, romance by the Lake district of Como and romantic Venice and Pisa near Florence makes it a tourist magnet. Italy leaves no one underwhelmed. There’s so much to do in Italy that it would take a lifetime to finish. Don’t rush it in just one visit.
Situated on the river Tiber, between the Apennine mountains and the Tyrr-henian Sea (it is on the West of Italy, while Mediterranean sea is on its South), the "Eternal City" was once the administrative centre of the mighty Roman Empire, ruling over a vast territory that stretched all the way from Portugal Spaint/Britain to Turkey, Armenia, Mesopotamia ( Modern day Iraq is a name for the area around the Tigris–Euphrates river; in modern days roughly corresponding to most of Iraq plus Kuwait, the eastern parts of Syria, South-eastern Turkey. Babylon was a major city of ancient Mesopotamia in the fertile plain between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. South Mesopotamia was called Sumer and North Eastern part of Sumer was called Babylon ), Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, Norther part of Africa (part of Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Volubilis in Morocco). Morocco is the extreme West of their territory. I am fortunate enough to see Roman ruins of Volubilis in Morocco.
(The next
paragraph is bit irrelevant to Italy (but important for understanding how the word Ashura got exported of this region) may be skipped)
It may be noted here that Assyria (or Ashur) and Syria (Aram) are two different nations - though somewhat overlapping. The Assyrians conquered Aram (as Syria was originally known), shortly before conquering the Northern Kingdom of Israel (730-720 BC). The Babylonians eventually conquered Assyria or Ashur. The Assyrian homeland encompasses areas of what are now northern Iraq, north-western Iran, south-eastern Turkey and north-eastern Syria.
The ruins of Ninevah, the capital of ancient Assyria, is a city in modern Iraq. Damascus, the capital of Syria, was originally the capital of Aram/Syria.
Ashur or Aššur is an East Semitic God, and the head of the Assyrian pantheon (i.e. all the gods of a people or religion collectively) in Mesopotamian religion, worshipped mainly in the northern half of Mesopotamia, and parts of north-east Syria and south east Asia Minor (Turkey) which constituted old Assyria.
Aššur was a deified form of the city of Assur (pronounced Ashur) was the capital of the Old Assyrian kingdom. The city of Ashur, named in honour of the deity, was inhabited until the 14th century, when a massacre of Assyrian Christians by Tamurlane left it finally emptied. Ashur is still a common given and family name amongst Assyrians to this day.
It is interesting here to note that , Haug pioneered the idea that the term Asura is linguistically related to the Ahuras of Indo-Iranian people and pre-Zoroastrianism era. In both religions, Ahura of pre-Zoroastrianism (Asura of Hinduism), Vouruna (Varuna) and Daeva (Deva) are found, but their meanings are on opposite. While the ahura evolved to represent the good in pre-Zoroastrianism, Asura evolved to represent the bad in Vedic religion; while Deva evolved to represent the bad in pre-Zoroastrianism, while Deva evolves to represent the good in Vedic religion.
The ruins of Ninevah, the capital of ancient Assyria, is a city in modern Iraq. Damascus, the capital of Syria, was originally the capital of Aram/Syria.
Ashur or Aššur is an East Semitic God, and the head of the Assyrian pantheon (i.e. all the gods of a people or religion collectively) in Mesopotamian religion, worshipped mainly in the northern half of Mesopotamia, and parts of north-east Syria and south east Asia Minor (Turkey) which constituted old Assyria.
Aššur was a deified form of the city of Assur (pronounced Ashur) was the capital of the Old Assyrian kingdom. The city of Ashur, named in honour of the deity, was inhabited until the 14th century, when a massacre of Assyrian Christians by Tamurlane left it finally emptied. Ashur is still a common given and family name amongst Assyrians to this day.
It is interesting here to note that , Haug pioneered the idea that the term Asura is linguistically related to the Ahuras of Indo-Iranian people and pre-Zoroastrianism era. In both religions, Ahura of pre-Zoroastrianism (Asura of Hinduism), Vouruna (Varuna) and Daeva (Deva) are found, but their meanings are on opposite. While the ahura evolved to represent the good in pre-Zoroastrianism, Asura evolved to represent the bad in Vedic religion; while Deva evolved to represent the bad in pre-Zoroastrianism, while Deva evolves to represent the good in Vedic religion.
Rome's transformation
from a small Latin village to the centre of a vast empire is given below in a
nutshell :
The city
of Rome was founded in the district of Latium , South of the Tiber River. Latin
is the language of ancient Romans. Rome is traditionally
said to have been founded by the mythical
twins Romulus and Remus (the sons of Mars and
Rhea Silvia) on 21 April 753 BC. The twins were abandoned as infants in
the Tiber river and raised by a she-wolf (Lupa), before being found by a
shepherd (Faustulus), who raised them as his own sons.
Actually, Rome was
founded as a small
village on top of the Palatine
Hill (including the area where the present day Roman Forum is found - just next to Colosseum) sometime
in the 8th century BC; due to the village's position near Tiber river ,
Rome became a crossroads of traffic and trade. The Seven
Hills of Rome , East of the river Tiber form the geographical heart of Rome. Palatine hill is one of the seven hills. The other hills are the Capitoline, Quirinal, Viminal, Esquiline, Caelian and Aventine. The Roman Forum is a rectangular forum (plaza) at the center of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum.
To know more about Seven hills, read later in the article.
Rome or Roma in Italian, is the capital and largest city of Italy. It's the famed city of the Roman Empire, the Seven Hills, La Dolce Vita (the sweet life), the Vatican City. Rome, as a millenium-long centre of power, culture (having been the cradle of one of the globe's greatest civilizations ever) and religion, has exerted a huge influence over the world in its roughly 2800 years of existence.
To know more about Seven hills, read later in the article.
This settlement developed into the capital of the Roman Kingdom, led by a series of Etruscan kings, before becoming the seat of the Roman Republic in 509 BC when the despotic king was overthrown by the Romans and Rome became a Republic.
The origins of the Etruscans are mostly lost in pre-history, although Greek historians repeatedly associated the Tyrr-henians (name of the sea on the West of Italy is Tyrrhenia) with Pelas-gians. Diony-sius records a Pelasgian migration from Thessaly in Greek to the Italian Peninsula. They settled near modern day Tuscany.
Soon after becoming a republic the city of Rome took to the policy of Conquest to Carthage. Carthage in the modern day Tunisia in North Africa, built a powerful empire much earlier than Romans . In the first Punic war (Romans called Carthaginian Punici) between Romans and Carthage over Sicily, Carthage was defeated. They set the city of Carthage on fire and sold thousands of Carthaginians as slave. Hannibal Barca was a Carthaginian general, considered one of the greatest military commanders in history. His father Hamilcar Barca was the leading Carthaginian commander during the First Punic War.
In the early period of Roman history, Roman society was divided into 2 classes: Patricians (aristocrats) and Plebeians (workers). Patricians were owners of best plots of land. Plebeians were deprived of all rights. After the revolt, against the Patricians, they were forced to give some right to the Plebeians.
At the time of Roman Republic, slavery was in vogue in Roman Society. After conquering large number of countries a large number of slaves were collected from those countries. They were state property and were employed in mining, road building etc. They were sold in the market. Patricians and Plebeians purchased them and employed them in agriculture. The slaves were exploited like anything. Absolute dependence on the slaves led to the moral decay of the Romans. Fight between gladiators and between a gladiator and a wild animal became a very popular. In Rome Gladiators were those slaves who were professional wrestlers. On holidays the gladiator show used to take place in amphitheatre (Colosseum). Slave uprising took place at the end of 2nd century BC. The most important slave revolt was that led by a slave called Spartacus. The fight between Patricians and Plebeians & slave uprising weakened the republic and enhanced the power of Army leaders.
Of them, Pompey and Julius Caesar deserve special mention. The rivalry for power grew between
Julius Caesar and Pompey. In a war between Caesar and Pompey, Caesar won and
made himself a dictator. Though he became dictator he introduced number of
beneficial reforms for all round development of Romans. Julius Caesar was
person of great insight.
It may not be out of place to mention that Cleopatra VII Philopator was the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, nominally survived as pharaoh by her son Caesarion.Her father is Ptolemy XII. As a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, she was a descendant of its founder, Ptolemy I Soter, a Macedonian Greek general and companion of Alexander the Great. After the death of Cleopatra, Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire, marking the end of the Hellenistic period that had lasted since the reign of Alexander (336–323 BC).Her native language was Koine Greek and she was the first Ptolemaic ruler to learn the Egyptian language.Ancient Egypt has celebrated the birth of Cleopatra in the year 69 BCE . She is the daughter of Ptolemy XII but her mother is of unknown identity, it is supposed that her mother is one of the pharaoh’s sister, Cleopatra VI. The death of her father has earned her the throne to be the pharaoh; however, she had to be married to Ptolemy XIII, her brother. This is in accordance to Egyptian rule that a queen has to always lead with a king. There is much account of how ‘beautiful’ Cleopatra was. On top of the beauty, she is often dubbed as having a ‘charming voice’. It is often said that she is more of a diplomat than anything else. She is also of Macedonian decent, which they said, bore her of high intellectual power. She is skilled in nine languages and mathematicians.
After losing the 48 BC Battle of Pharsalus in Greece against his rival Julius Caesar in Caesar's Civil War, the Roman statesman Pompey fled to Egypt, a Roman client state. The Cleopatra and Julius Caesar connection was formed when Julius Caesar fled to Egypt in pursuit of his enemy Pompey.Pompey has already been executed by the Egyptians.
Julius Caesar is smitten by the woman delivered through a carpet; it is smuggled through Alexandria and is presented as a gift for the Roman leader . Cleopatra is then about 21 or 22 years old. Julius Caesar immediately recognized the potential of being lovers and allies.
The relationship could have been for love among any other. However, there are also political agenda behind the union. They are both leaders of influential and powerful nations. They have people under them, armies that could fight battles and win them. Both Rome and Egypt needs intellectual leaders.
Specifically, for Cleopatra’s side, she saw how a Caesar’s fleet could easily return her to power which he eventually did. Julius Caesar killed Cleopatra’s brother and husband, Ptolemy XIII when his army drove them away only to drown in the Nile. This was during the Alexandrian War. Julius Caesar made sure that Cleopatra is firm in her position as the leader of Egypt.
For Julius Caesar, the union will unite two great lands, Egypt and Rome. He has an ultimate dream that his children would someday rule this land. Julius Caesar could have also seen Alexandria as a strategic location for his battles and as time pass by, Egypt could also form a powerful army to help him in his conquests.
Cleopatra, though said to still be in love Julius Caesar, married her younger brother, Ptolemy XIV, to return her rule over Egypt. However, she was also married to Julius Caesar because Egypt allows polygamy. Cleopatra and Julius Caesar spent time in Alexandria. The Roman leader, however, is called for to lead his army to battles. He emerged victorious but returned to Rome instead.
Julius Caesar and Cleopatra also had a son, Caesarion. Julius Caesar brought his wife to Rome, with the great surprise of the Roman people. Out of respect for Julius Caesar, the people did not really give much attention to the fact that Julius Caesar married a foreign woman, albeit having a Roman wife . However, Caesar maintained a private affair with Cleopatra and produced a son, Caesarion (Ptolemy XV). Cleopatra traveled to Rome as a client queen in 46 and 44 BC, staying at Caesar's villa.
Some influential person of Rome were dissatisfied with the growing power of Caesar. To preserve democracy a battle of conspirators under the leadership of Brutus and Cassius assassinated Julius Caesar. After his death in 44 BC, civil war started in Rome and consequently Republic in Rome was replaced by emperors.
When Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC, Cleopatra attempted to have Caesarion named as his heir, but this fell instead to Caesar's grandnephew Octavian (known as Augustus by 27 BC, when he became the first Roman emperor).
When Cleopatra learnt that Octavian planned to bring her to Rome for his triumphal procession, she committed suicide by poisoning, the popular belief being that she was bitten by an asp.
After losing the 48 BC Battle of Pharsalus in Greece against his rival Julius Caesar in Caesar's Civil War, the Roman statesman Pompey fled to Egypt, a Roman client state. The Cleopatra and Julius Caesar connection was formed when Julius Caesar fled to Egypt in pursuit of his enemy Pompey.Pompey has already been executed by the Egyptians.
Julius Caesar is smitten by the woman delivered through a carpet; it is smuggled through Alexandria and is presented as a gift for the Roman leader . Cleopatra is then about 21 or 22 years old. Julius Caesar immediately recognized the potential of being lovers and allies.
The relationship could have been for love among any other. However, there are also political agenda behind the union. They are both leaders of influential and powerful nations. They have people under them, armies that could fight battles and win them. Both Rome and Egypt needs intellectual leaders.
Specifically, for Cleopatra’s side, she saw how a Caesar’s fleet could easily return her to power which he eventually did. Julius Caesar killed Cleopatra’s brother and husband, Ptolemy XIII when his army drove them away only to drown in the Nile. This was during the Alexandrian War. Julius Caesar made sure that Cleopatra is firm in her position as the leader of Egypt.
For Julius Caesar, the union will unite two great lands, Egypt and Rome. He has an ultimate dream that his children would someday rule this land. Julius Caesar could have also seen Alexandria as a strategic location for his battles and as time pass by, Egypt could also form a powerful army to help him in his conquests.
Cleopatra, though said to still be in love Julius Caesar, married her younger brother, Ptolemy XIV, to return her rule over Egypt. However, she was also married to Julius Caesar because Egypt allows polygamy. Cleopatra and Julius Caesar spent time in Alexandria. The Roman leader, however, is called for to lead his army to battles. He emerged victorious but returned to Rome instead.
Julius Caesar and Cleopatra also had a son, Caesarion. Julius Caesar brought his wife to Rome, with the great surprise of the Roman people. Out of respect for Julius Caesar, the people did not really give much attention to the fact that Julius Caesar married a foreign woman, albeit having a Roman wife . However, Caesar maintained a private affair with Cleopatra and produced a son, Caesarion (Ptolemy XV). Cleopatra traveled to Rome as a client queen in 46 and 44 BC, staying at Caesar's villa.
Some influential person of Rome were dissatisfied with the growing power of Caesar. To preserve democracy a battle of conspirators under the leadership of Brutus and Cassius assassinated Julius Caesar. After his death in 44 BC, civil war started in Rome and consequently Republic in Rome was replaced by emperors.
When Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC, Cleopatra attempted to have Caesarion named as his heir, but this fell instead to Caesar's grandnephew Octavian (known as Augustus by 27 BC, when he became the first Roman emperor).
When Cleopatra learnt that Octavian planned to bring her to Rome for his triumphal procession, she committed suicide by poisoning, the popular belief being that she was bitten by an asp.
 |
| Rome empire under Julius Caesar 44 BC- source : wikipedia |
Rome again became the centre of the Roman Empire from 27 BC to 285 AD. After the assassination of Caesar in 44 BC the power passed into the hand of Octavian, Caesar's grand nephew, who became sole ruler of Roman empire. He assumed the title of Augustus . It is he who was the first emperor of the Roman empire. He was born in 63 BC and died in 14 AD.
(https://www.scholaradvisor.com/essay-examples/cleopatra-relationships/)
| Roman imperial dynasties | |||
| Chronology | |||
| Augustus | 27 BC – 14 AD | ||
| Tiberius | 14–37 AD | ||
| Caligula | 37–41 AD | ||
| Claudius | 41–54 AD | ||
| Nero | 54–68 AD | ||
During the reign of Emperor Constantine
(lived between 272 AD to 337 AD), the Roman empire became very vast and for its
smooth operation he built a new capital called Constantinople from where Easter
Roman empire was ruled, and from Rome - Western Roman empire was ruled.
He made Christianity the state religion. His
predecessors were engaged in inhuman persecution of the Christians. I have seen
the 7 storied underground caves in Turkey near Cappadocia, made by early
Christians to escape persecution.
The emperors who succeeded Constantine was
weak and Roman empire lost its former power gradually. Finally in 476 AD
the Barbarian king declared himself King of Rome and all that remained of vast
Roman empire was Constantinople or modern day Istanbul.
Beginning with the reign of Constantine I (306-337), the Bishop of Rome (later known as the Pope) gained political and religious importance, establishing the city as the centre of the Catholic Church. The city was sacked by the barbarians, first in 410 and again in 455; after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in AD 476 the city withstood a siege by the Ostrogoths in AD 537 and a Saracen raid in AD 846, followed by its capture by the Normans in 1084.For almost a 1000 years, Rome was the largest, wealthiest, most powerful city in the Western world, with dominance over most of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea. Even after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, Rome maintained considerable importance and wealth.
During the Early Middle Ages, the
city declined in population but gained a new importance as the
capital of the newly formed Papal States; Charlemagne, for example,
was crowned Emperor at Saint Peter's in 800. Throughout the Middle Ages, most
of the city's ancient monuments fell in disrepair and were gradually stripped
of their precious statues, ornaments and materials; However, Rome not only was
a major pilgrimage site but was also the focus of struggles between Roman
nobles, Roman Empire and the Papacy. In
1309 The Pope left Rome for Avignon, at the request of the King of France, and
the city plunged into chaos.
Following
the return of the Papacy (1377) from the Avignonese captivity and with the Italian Renaissance fully under way in the
15th century, Rome changed dramatically. Extravagant churches,
bridges, and public spaces, including a new St Peter's Basilica and
the Sistine Chapel, were constructed by the Papacy so that Rome would equal the
grandeur of other Italian cities of the period.
The city recovered quickly and in the following 200 years, it became the centre of Baroque architecture; renowned artists such as Michelangelo, Bernini and Caravaggio worked there while the new St. Peter's Basilica was begun in 1506, only to be completed in 1626.
During the latter stages of the French Revolution - more precisely, in 1798 - local revolutionaries inspired by the new ideals rose against Papal authority and a Roman Republic was declared; the Pope was forced to flee and the following year troops from the Kingdom of Naples entered the city, thus putting an end to the revolutionary movement.
Between 1805 and 1814, Rome was also occupied
by Napoleonic troops.
In 1849,
the population - with the aid of patriots such as Giuseppe Garibaldi and Giuseppe
Mazzini - rose against the
Papal government and forced the Pope to flee the city and seek refuge at Gaeta.
A modern, democratic, Constitution was drafted and a new Roman Republic was
proclaimed.
The Pope then requested the help of the
French emperor, Napoleon III, who promptly sent an expeditionary
force: despite some initial setbacks the French troops overcame the
revolutionary forces. Goffredo Mameli,
composer of the current Italian anthem, was among the fallen.
In 1860 Rome became again the focus of a
power struggle with the rise of the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont (Island to the West of Italy),
which sought to unite the peninsula; after a series of battles, the Papal
States were stripped of all their Italian possessions except for Rome, which
remained under French protection.
However, with the outbreak of the
Franco-Prussian War, the French abandoned Rome, leaving it clear
for the newly-formed Kingdom of Italy to capture on
20 September 1870. Rome became thus the capital of Italy, and has
remained such ever since. The new Italian government started a huge campaign of public works; new districts, monuments and public buildings were built, while countless Medieval and Renaissance buildings were torn down to make way for the new street layout .
Following World War I, with the rise of Fascism in 1922 Rome's
face changed again: new districts, avenues and other public buildings were
built and ancient sites were feverishly excavated; in doing so, entire Medieval
neighbourhoods were bulldozed.
This trend was halted by World War
II, which dealt (relatively minor) damage to Rome. After Italy had
signed the Armistice, the city was occupied by the Germans on 8 September 1943
: despite heavy resistance from surviving units of the Royal Italian Army , these were crushed in a bloody battle near Porta
S. Paolo. Rome was finally
liberated by Allied troops on 4 June, 1944.
With the
fall of the monarchy and the creation of the Italian Republic in 1946, Rome
again began to grow in population and became a modern city. Today's
Rome is a modern, contemporary, bustling metropolis with an ancient core, that
reflects the many periods of its long history - the ancient times, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Modern
Era - standing today as the capital of Italy and
as one of the world's major tourist destinations. Today, the city is the seat of the Italian government and home to
numerous ministerial offices. Rome has 2.6 million / 26 Lakh inhabitants while its
metropolitan area is home to around 4.2 million/42 Lakh.
The language they speak in Italy is also largely the language of Florence.
Dante,who is from Florence, is often considered as the father of modern Italian
language. The reason being there was no one Italian language during the time of Dante. Dante wrote Divine comedy in local Florentine language spoken by the
residents of Florence (instead of Latin and shocked the world) ,which
language became the basis of modern Italian language.He considered Latin an
elitist language. It is often said that Italian language is the most beautiful
language since the Italian "intellectuals handpicked the most beautiful of
all the local dialects and crowned it Italian...for the longest time Italy
wasn't even a country. It was unified in 1861. Parts of Italy belonged to
France, parts to Spain, parts to church. So a scientist in Florence could
barely communicate with a poet in Sicily or a merchant in Venice (except Latin
of course, which was considered a national language). Today what we call French
is essentially medieval Parisian, Portuguese is Lisboan and Spanish is
Madrileno. That is not the case in case of Italian (Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth
Gilbert).
It is important to note that the per capita GDP of Italy of USD 30,000 is lower than major countries of Europe (e.g. USD 42,000 for Germany or USD 40,000 for UK) and the Italian economy is not in very good shape (Though 16 times more than India at USD 1850). So without any doubt price of everything in Italy will be more expensive. The population of Italy is around 60 Million or 6 Crore. The currency is Euro. The area of Italy at 300,000 sq km is little more than 3 times the size of West Bengal.
It is important to note that the per capita GDP of Italy of USD 30,000 is lower than major countries of Europe (e.g. USD 42,000 for Germany or USD 40,000 for UK) and the Italian economy is not in very good shape (Though 16 times more than India at USD 1850). So without any doubt price of everything in Italy will be more expensive. The population of Italy is around 60 Million or 6 Crore. The currency is Euro. The area of Italy at 300,000 sq km is little more than 3 times the size of West Bengal.
Get in
By plane
Rome has two main international airports. However Leonardo da Vinci /FCO is the main airport, - Rome's main airport is modern, large and well connected to the city centre by public transport.
Rome's Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport is also called Fiumicino (fee-yoo-mee-chee-no) airport simply because it is located in a town called Fiumicino 35 kms from Roma. It is a large and a very busy airport and the town of Fiumicino itself is a coastal town - just beside Tyrrhenian sea.
Once we got out of the Jet Bridge, we started following the crowd hoping they would lead us directly to immigration or baggage collection but surprisingly the crowd led us into a "room"... We followed (we were lost really cause English had suddenly become almost non-existent) and then the doors of the "room" closed and the room started moving! The "room" was actually a very fast train....So yeah the Fiumicino Airport has a train running between the "Arrival area" of the airport and the "real" part of the Airport. We alighted from the train and we were immediately in front of the baggage claim belt.
By now loud Ciaos and Ciao Belles could be heard and I made a mental note of finding out the difference between the two.
Note:
Ciao-Hello or Goodbye
Ciao Belle - Hello/Goodbye Beautiful
After baggage collection, we got our immigration done and we were finally on our own...
Since Fiumicino is a little distance away from Rome, there are a couple of ways of getting to the Roma Termini. You could take a bus (70 - 90 mins travel time) OR a regional train (includes a train change) or take the Leonardo Express (dedicated, non-stop, fast train that runs between the Airport and Roma Termini).
Rome's Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport is also called Fiumicino (fee-yoo-mee-chee-no) airport simply because it is located in a town called Fiumicino 35 kms from Roma. It is a large and a very busy airport and the town of Fiumicino itself is a coastal town - just beside Tyrrhenian sea.
Once we got out of the Jet Bridge, we started following the crowd hoping they would lead us directly to immigration or baggage collection but surprisingly the crowd led us into a "room"... We followed (we were lost really cause English had suddenly become almost non-existent) and then the doors of the "room" closed and the room started moving! The "room" was actually a very fast train....So yeah the Fiumicino Airport has a train running between the "Arrival area" of the airport and the "real" part of the Airport. We alighted from the train and we were immediately in front of the baggage claim belt.
By now loud Ciaos and Ciao Belles could be heard and I made a mental note of finding out the difference between the two.
Note:
Ciao-Hello or Goodbye
Ciao Belle - Hello/Goodbye Beautiful
After baggage collection, we got our immigration done and we were finally on our own...
Since Fiumicino is a little distance away from Rome, there are a couple of ways of getting to the Roma Termini. You could take a bus (70 - 90 mins travel time) OR a regional train (includes a train change) or take the Leonardo Express (dedicated, non-stop, fast train that runs between the Airport and Roma Termini).
By train, public and private bus
1. From the Leonardo
da Vinci/Fiumicino airport, there are two train lines that will get
you into Rome. The Leonardo Express leaves every 30
minutes to Roma Termini(Rome's central train station) (35 minute trip).
Tickets cost €14 . So if you are 3, it is possibly cheaper to take a taxi
and you get delivered to your door. Get your ticket stamped in a
yellow validation machine just before boarding the train: it will expire
90 minutes after the validation. It is
important to validate the ticket: otherwise, the train conductor could fine you
a substantial sum.
## Leonardo Express is a First Class Compartments and hence if you are carrying a 2nd Class Euro Rail Pass, it will not work and you will still have to buy tickets for the train.
## There is one manned ticket counter and 2 self-help
kiosks at the Airport from where you can buy tickets for the regional trains
and for Leonardo Express. The manned ticket counter was
closed when we landed as all shops and manual counters close by 6:30 to 7:00 pm
in Italy.
## Binari (bee-naa-ri) means platforms in
Italian. This word will be useful while travelling on your own in Italy. If
somebody tells you Binari Ocho that means your the train will leave from
Platform 8.
2.The Regional or suburban train does not stop at Termini. Get off
at Tiburtina , where you can connect to line B of the
Metro to go to Termini. Tickets are €8, plus €1.50 for a bus-tram-Metro
combo. The extra cost of the Leonardo Express is for the convenience of a
direct ride to Termini.
3.Terravision bus is probably the easiest and cheapest
( €6) connection between Fiumicino airport and Rome city centre,
but the journey takes 55 minutes. However you may have to wait more than
2 hours to catch one. The online "reservation" does not guarantee a
seat. The bus departs near Terminal 3 of the airport and arrives at
Roma Termini station
4.From Leonardo da
Vinci/Fiumicino, the public bus stop is located outdoors at
ground level, at the bottom of the Terminal 1 (Domestic Arrivals). You can buy
tickets at the tobacco shop in the Terminal 1 baggage area, with the blue
sign (Tabaccheria).
Get around
Roma Pass
If you'll be staying in Rome for at least 3 days, consider purchasing the Roma Pass. It costs €36 (or €28 for a 48 hour pass) and entitles holders to free admission to the first 2 museums and/or archaeological sites visited, full access to public transportation, reduced tickets and discounts for any other following museums (that are included in the programme - e.g., the Vatican Museums are not included). Considering everything (since I stayed only 3 days) I decided not to buy the Roma pass.
We purchased Bus/ Metro pass from tobacco shop (Tabaccheria) on the side walks.
Tickets
Tickets must be bought from a tobacco shop - look for the big 'T' sign, these shops are plentiful , or from a news stand before you board the bus, Metro or tram. Metro stops and bus terminals all have automated ticket kiosks, and major Metro stations have clerked ticket windows. But we bought everything from the Tabaccheria. Please note that the whole public transportation network uses the same kind of tickets. A single-ride ticket costs - € 1.50 : you can change buses, trams on one journey; valid for 100 minutes. When you board the bus or Metro you must time-stamp your ticket in the little yellow machine For a daily ticket (€6) to be worth it, you would have to make 5 or more trips at intervals greater than 100 minutes apart on a single day.
Night buses could be useful due to the closing of the Metro stations at 23:30 and the stopping of regular lines of buses and trams at midnight.
HO-HO Buses
A popular alternative to city and pre-planned tour buses are the hop-on/hop-off buses; open-top double-deckers. There are apparently seven different companies. An all-day ticket runs about €18/20, can be purchased as you board at any stop. After lot of discussion with my wife, I decided not to buy it, since it won't be economic for our short stay.
Tram
In Rome, there are 6 tram lines. These are
the remnants of a much bigger network (in fact, the biggest in Italy) which
opened in 1877 but was largely dismantled during the 1960s in favour of bus
system.
Metro
There are 3-and-a-half Metro lines: A , B , B1 and the new C line.
Lines A and B cross at Termini, while line C doesn't reach the city
centre yet.
Line A runs Northwest past the
Vatican, and then southeast. It has convenient stops for Termini
station ("Termini"), Trevi fountain ("Barberini - Fontana di
Trevi"), the Spanish Steps ("Spagna"), piazza del Popolo
("Flaminio - Piazza del Popolo") and the Vatican Museums ("Ottaviano
- San Pietro - Musei Vaticani").
Line B runs Southwest past the
Colosseum and northeast in one direction, but it also splits -
this is the B1 branch - at
the "Bologna" stop to go north to "Jonio". This line
has convenient stops for the Tiburtina ("Tiburtina") and Termini train stations, the
Colosseum ("Colosseo"), the Circus Maximus and the Aventine
("Circo Massimo"), the Pyramid of Cestius ("Piramide") and the catacombs of
S. Agnese ("S. Agnese/Annibaliano", on B1 branch).
The most important station is of course Roma
Termini. Roma Termini is a landmark in the centre of the
city. It houses the main train station, the metro station and even the bus
station. You can imagine how huge it is and how invariably convenient for
anyone and everyone trying to avail any of the public transports that Roma has
to offer to its citizens. If that wasn't enough, it has a fabulous
shopping area replete with outlets for Sephora, Kiko Milano and other fabulous
brands... We later learnt that all major train stations of big cities in Italy
have huge shopping arcades. Florence even had Mango and Victoria's Secret while
the Genova train station additionally boasted of a MAC Cosmetics outlet.
There are also some Regional train lines connecting Rome with other Italian cities and towns. But they take more time to reach the destination because of the number of stops where they stop. I used this train from Venice to Milan.
There are also some Regional train lines connecting Rome with other Italian cities and towns. But they take more time to reach the destination because of the number of stops where they stop. I used this train from Venice to Milan.
Tip:
In Italy, they add '-eteria' or '-eria' to the noun that they are
selling. A place selling Gelato is called a Gelateria, you know a pizzeria, a
cafeteria... Same way a place or kiosk sellingBiglietto (tickets) is
called a Biglietteria.
Italy has multiple police forces, the ones that I know of and came
across are:
1. Polizia di Stato (State police)
2. Carabinieri (Military trained police to fight organized crimes)
3. Guardia Di Finanza (Military trained police under the ministry of finances, part of Europol, used as riot police and anti-fraud police)
4. Polizia Di Municipale (generally regulate traffic and also work again petty crimes like pick-pocketing etc)
Non so Italiano (I'm not Italian ) is an useful word to know in Italy
{Almost all the Italicized texts here under "Get In and Get around" are taken from a wonderful site : isimplylovemakeup.com}
2. Carabinieri (Military trained police to fight organized crimes)
3. Guardia Di Finanza (Military trained police under the ministry of finances, part of Europol, used as riot police and anti-fraud police)
4. Polizia Di Municipale (generally regulate traffic and also work again petty crimes like pick-pocketing etc)
Non so Italiano (I'm not Italian ) is an useful word to know in Italy
{Almost all the Italicized texts here under "Get In and Get around" are taken from a wonderful site : isimplylovemakeup.com}
Operating hours:
Sunday to Thursday: Metro lines A, B and C operate from 05:30 to 23:30.
Friday to Saturday: Metro lines A and B operate from 05:30 to 1:30.
Line C operates from 05:30 to 23:30.
Line C operates from 05:30 to 23:30.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Orientation
in Rome
Rome can be divided into several districts: the so-called historical centre is quite small - only around 4% of the city area - but it's the place in which most of the tourist attraction are located. It is home to Trevi fountain (famous for Fellini's movie) , Piazza Barberini, and Piazza della Repubblica.
Old Rome
The Renaissance-era centre of the city, with beautiful squares/piazza, cathedrals, the Pantheon includes piazza Navona, piazza Campo de' Fiori, and the (former) Jewish Ghetto.
Vatican
The independent Vatican City and its endless treasure troves of sights, relics and the Vatican Museums.
Colosseo
The heart of ancient Rome, the Colosseum, the Capitoline hill and its museums.
North Centre
Situated in the northern part of Rome, it is home to the Villa Borghese, the Spanish Steps.
Trastevere
The charming district south of the Vatican, on the west bank of the Tiber, full of narrow cobbled streets and lonely squares that served as the inspiration for artists such as Giorgio de Chirico. Now arguably the centre of Rome's artistic life.
South
Home to the Appian Way park, several catacombs, Fascist monumental architecture.
Ostia
A Roman district (not a separate town!) with a view to the sea and several beach resorts. Home to the ruins of Ostia antica, ancient Rome's harbour. It is one of the best kept secrets in all of Italy. It is not very far from Fiumicino airport.
Old Rome
The Renaissance-era centre of the city, with beautiful squares/piazza, cathedrals, the Pantheon includes piazza Navona, piazza Campo de' Fiori, and the (former) Jewish Ghetto.
Vatican
The independent Vatican City and its endless treasure troves of sights, relics and the Vatican Museums.
Colosseo
The heart of ancient Rome, the Colosseum, the Capitoline hill and its museums.
North Centre
Situated in the northern part of Rome, it is home to the Villa Borghese, the Spanish Steps.
Trastevere
The charming district south of the Vatican, on the west bank of the Tiber, full of narrow cobbled streets and lonely squares that served as the inspiration for artists such as Giorgio de Chirico. Now arguably the centre of Rome's artistic life.
South
Home to the Appian Way park, several catacombs, Fascist monumental architecture.
Ostia
A Roman district (not a separate town!) with a view to the sea and several beach resorts. Home to the ruins of Ostia antica, ancient Rome's harbour. It is one of the best kept secrets in all of Italy. It is not very far from Fiumicino airport.
Much of the attraction of Rome is in just wandering around the old city. You can quickly escape from the major tourist routes and feel as if you are in a small medieval village, not a capital city. Please remember in Rome, some of the best art isn't in museums, but in churches or in public and is free. There are more than 900 churches in Rome. Probably one third would be well worth a visit! You'll find the richness and range of decor astonishing.
Churches in Rome deny admission to people who are dressed inappropriately; you will find "fashion police" at the most visited churches ("knees and shoulders" are the main problem - especially female ones). Bare shoulders, short skirts, and shorts are officially not allowed, but long shorts and skirts reaching just above the knee should generally be no problem...however, it's always safer to wear longer pants or skirts that go below the knee; St. Peter's in particular is known for rejecting tourists for uncovered knees, shoulders, midriffs, etc.
Churches in Rome deny admission to people who are dressed inappropriately; you will find "fashion police" at the most visited churches ("knees and shoulders" are the main problem - especially female ones). Bare shoulders, short skirts, and shorts are officially not allowed, but long shorts and skirts reaching just above the knee should generally be no problem...however, it's always safer to wear longer pants or skirts that go below the knee; St. Peter's in particular is known for rejecting tourists for uncovered knees, shoulders, midriffs, etc.
Take a stroll in the area between Piazza Navona and the Tiber river in Old Rome where artisans continue to ply their trade from small shops.
Flea markets
There are many flea market in Italy.
The one at Porta Portese (located near the Roma Trastevere train
station) is the biggest in city, and takes place every Sunday from 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM . Always remember that flea fairs are the only place in
Italy where haggling is allowed (to a certain degree).
Eat
Rome is full of good restaurants. Eat
like a Roman. In Rome you can ask for:
· Cappuccino
· Panino -
Generic word for a stuffed sandwich
· Pizza al
taglio - Pizza by the slice.
· Spaghetti (or rigatoni) alla
carbonara - A sauce made with egg and pancetta(bacon).
Pizza
Roman pizzas are very thin crusted, quite different from the
classical pizza made in Naples; they're also crunchier and have far less pizza
topping. Most restaurants serve pizza only in the evening. You'll have to
cut your round pizza (in Italy, the cook doesn't do that for you) with fork and
knife, which can then be eaten with one's hands; contrary to some travel myths,
there's absolutely no stigma whatsoever to doing it.
Pizza al taglio is pizza with a thicker crust and cooked in a large pan. It is served by the piece - usually to take away - and is a good, cheap way to get something to fill you up: point to the one you want and indicate if you want more or less than your server is indicating with the knife. Unlike Naples, pizza al taglio here is sold by weight (the listed price is usually per 100 gm, known in Italian as an un etto, a hectogram). Pizzerie al taglio (places selling pizza by the slice) are the city's very own equivalent of a fast-food joint and pretty much like the fish and chips shops in the UK, they're a cornerstone of Roman life. Lasagne is another thing which is found everywhere.Pizza al taglio helped us to keep our expense within budget and was our saviour !
.
Ice cream
Ice cream parlour or gelato are world famous . Another Italian
dessert tiramisù is world famous. We did not have much of these in
Rome. We had it in Florence almost everyday.
Pricing
You can get cheap food in Rome, Travellers, beware! The "coperto" and "servizio"
charges as per Regional Law are illegal in Rome and the Lazio
region. It is the charge for sitting on chair ! So always ask, before eating, if there is coperto ? I have paid it 3 times, during my stay in Italy.
Drink
Coffee
What foreigners erroneously call "espresso" is just
plain coffee, and is more commonly just referred to as caffè. Cappuccino is
well known outside of Italy, but it is considered very un-classy and quite
disgusting to order one after 11 AM (and certainly during or after a
meal).
Wine
and water
House wines (vini della casa) are almost always drinkable
and inexpensive (unlike, say, in the UK). Italians don't usually sit
outside cafés drinking a glass of wine and watching the world go by - this is
actually something foreign tourists do! Wine is supposed to be served along
with (usually, important) meals: it's not something you'd drink everyday. Also
- when eating pizza Italians prefer drinking beer or a Coke or just a glass
of water.
Water is free at countless
fountains in the city. Not only the water's very fresh and good,
but it comes from the famous springs scattered throughout the Lazio region - it
is perfectly safe to drink. If you carry an empty bottle, fill it up for the
rest of the day; look for the drinking fountain and
you save money by refilling your bottle.That is what we did precisely and never had any health problem.
Sleep
Near Termini there are many small, fairly inexpensive, hotels that are
popular with individual travellers. We
stayed near Termini.
Talk
In Rome, English is widely spoken . Most Romans, however, always try to be helpful with
the tourists by giving some basic indications - , it is wise to speak slowly and simply.
Romans regularly interact with
foreigners and tourists - it shouldn't be hard to find friendly help, provided
you know some Italian; as for most every place in Italy, just be polite and you
won't have much trouble.If you hit someone
with your luggage or shoulder while walking on a street, say "sorry" (mi-s-cusi )
Pickpocketing
Rome is generally a safe place, even for women travelling alone. There is very little violent crime, but plenty of
scams and pickpockets that target tourists. Since Rome is incredibly
popular as a tourist destination, a
great deal of pickpocketing and/or bag or purse snatching takes place -
especially in crowded locations - and pickpocketers can get pretty
crafty. A 2010 study found that Rome was second only to Barcelona for pickpocketing of tourists. Many people lost their belonging even near Pisa (near Florence)
As a rule, you should pretty much never carry anything very valuable in any outside pocket . As in any other big city, it is better if you don't look like a tourist as far as possible. Though I was scared of pickpockets nothing of that sort happened to me ! Also, beware of thieves — they will use the old trick of one person trying to distract you (asking for a cigarette or doing a strange dance) while another thief picks your pockets from behind. Bands of kids will sometimes crowd you and reach for your pockets under the cover of newspapers or cardboard sheets. It is generally a good idea to be extremely wary of any strange person who gets too close to you. If someone is in your personal space, shove the person away. Termini (the main railway station), the central stops of the Metro and Trevi fountain are well-known for pickpockets, so take extra care in these areas.
Remember that hotel rooms are not safe places for
valuables. You don't need to be paranoid, just keep your eyes open and use
your common sense! But since I am from India, we are always on our toes and it
is better to assume, that you are in India.
10/10/2016
We had a nice kitchen in our apartment with stove, and free salt and oil. We had breakfast at our apartment with bread, egg and butter.Today our plan is to go to Roman forum and Colosseum.With the help of a Bangladeshi, we bought the metro tickets from the Tobacco shop on the sidewalk and took a metro to go to Colosseo metro station. Always start at the Roman Forum instead of the Colosseum. There is rarely a line at the Roman Forum. Pick up or purchase your tickets there and when you are done with Roman forum, you can skip the line at the Colosseum, since you already have your ticket (One ticket entitles you to visit both the places). The Roman Forum has no shade, so bring an umbrella or hat in the summer.
The Seven Hills of Rome, East of the river Tiber form the geographical heart of Rome.To the modern visitor, the Seven Hills of Rome can be rather difficult to identify. In the first place, generations of buildings constructed on top of each other and the construction of tall buildings in the valleys have tended to make the hills less pronounced than they originally were.
The seven hills were first occupied by small settlements. Rome came into being as these settlements acted together and turn them into markets and forum.
 |
| source: http://wikitravel.org/en/File:Seven_Hills_of_Rome.png |
The Roman Forum were the most powerful seat of government in the world. The Forum is much less crowded than the Colosseum and, from a historical perspective, much more interesting. To stand in the political, legal and religious centre of the whole Roman Empire brings shivers down one's spine. It is the best way of imagining the splendour and glory of ancient Rome.
Located in a small valley between the Capitoline and Palatine hills, access to the Forum is by foot only just in front of Colosseum. The Forum is often less crowded than the neighbouring Colosseum, but holds even more history. It is open from 09:00 and closes depending upon winter/summer time. The ticket costs €12 and is valid for two days and includes entrance to the Colosseum and Palatine Hill as well. It is possible to hire an audio guide for €4, just like any other important place in Italy.
The important structures inside the Roman Forum are : 1.the Temple of Antoninus Pius and Faustina (Tempio di Antonio e Faustina) - built in 141 AD 2. the Basilica Aemilia - completed in 179 BC the Curia (Senate House) 3. the Lapis Niger (Black Stone) 4. the Arch of Septimius Severus 5. the Temple of Saturn (Tempio di Saturno) 6. the Temple of Julius Caesar (Tempio di Giulio Caesar) - finished in 29 BC, marks the spot of Caesar's spontaneous cremation and Mark Antony's funeral speech, made famous by Shakespeare in his play Julius Caesar ("Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears...." ) 7. the Arch of Titus - built in 81 AD by the emperor Domition in dedication to his brother Titus, who died earlier that year and reigned as emperor from 79-81, overseeing the opening of the Colosseum in 80 and the eruption of Mt Vesuvius the previous year.
After spending around 3 hours, we left for Colosseum. It is just beside Roman Forum. But even if you skip the line because you are already having the ticket bought from Roman Forum, still there is big queue because of security check (read ISIS) for entering Colosseum.
Colosseum or Colosseo :
It was originally known as Flavian Amphitheatre. Originally capable of seating some 50,000 spectators for animal fights and gladiatorial combats, the amphitheatre was a project started by the Emperor Vespasian in 72 AD and completed by his son Titus in the 80 AD (124 years after the death of Julius Caesar). The Colosseum when completed measured 48 m high, 188 m in length, and 156 m in width. The wooden arena floor was 86 m by 54 m, and covered by sand. Expect a long queue and an even longer wait.
Honestly speaking I did not find Colosseum that great - since it is not in a good condition. Moreover I have seen thousands of pictures of it. So the novelty element was not there for me ! Many Bangladeshi people were selling tickets of Colosseum.
When we finished the Colosseum tour it is already late. Just in front of Colosseum or Colosseo is Arch of Constantine. This well-preserved monumental arch was erected to commemorate the victory of
Constantine, the first Christian emperor, over his rival Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312.
We bought some souvenirs of Colosseo from the Bangladeshis. They guided us towards the metro. We took the metro from Colosseo Metro station to go to Termini Station, near our hotel.
Today we ate Pizza by slice from the same restaurant.
When we finished the Colosseum tour it is already late. Just in front of Colosseum or Colosseo is Arch of Constantine. This well-preserved monumental arch was erected to commemorate the victory of
Constantine, the first Christian emperor, over his rival Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312.
We bought some souvenirs of Colosseo from the Bangladeshis. They guided us towards the metro. We took the metro from Colosseo Metro station to go to Termini Station, near our hotel.
Today we ate Pizza by slice from the same restaurant.
11/10/2016
Today our plan is to go to Vatican and Vatican museum. Just in front of our hostel there is a road
where a morning market takes place. There we met a Bengali from West Bengal - who incidentally
knows famous Tabla player Sanjay Kangshabanki, who stays in Rome ( whom I met in Kolkata just
before our tour to Italy).
Again Bangladeshi bhai (brother) helped us to reach the museum in no time. You
have to get down
at Take Metro line A to the "Ottaviano - S. Pietro - Musei Vaticani". First we went to see Vatican
museum. There is a reason for that. You must buy the ticket online to skip the line. I did not buy it. Basically I was guided by some blogs which says during off season time there wont be a queue. Actually we stood in the line for more than 2 hours. So don't do it ! If you find yourself in
Rome without a reservation for the Vatican Museums and facing the typical 3-hour line, don’t worry
you can pay (double the normal entry fee) to skip the line. You will find many Bangladeshis hawking tours and a “skip the
line” pass. They sell them for double the price. They were charging only 29 Euro from us instead of
customary 33 Euro for "skip the line"- but it is still better than wasting 3 hours of your day. But I
decided not to buy it at 58 Euro, for two people, at the beginning of my Italian tour. I chatted with the
Bangladeshi Bhai while we were waiting in the line.
The main problem with online booking is, it is for a particular day and time - I was not sure about my
exact date when I will go to Vatican, I like to keep everything open ended.
at Take Metro line A to the "Ottaviano - S. Pietro - Musei Vaticani". First we went to see Vatican
museum. There is a reason for that. You must buy the ticket online to skip the line. I did not buy it. Basically I was guided by some blogs which says during off season time there wont be a queue. Actually we stood in the line for more than 2 hours. So don't do it ! If you find yourself in
Rome without a reservation for the Vatican Museums and facing the typical 3-hour line, don’t worry
you can pay (double the normal entry fee) to skip the line. You will find many Bangladeshis hawking tours and a “skip the
line” pass. They sell them for double the price. They were charging only 29 Euro from us instead of
customary 33 Euro for "skip the line"- but it is still better than wasting 3 hours of your day. But I
decided not to buy it at 58 Euro, for two people, at the beginning of my Italian tour. I chatted with the
Bangladeshi Bhai while we were waiting in the line.
 |
| At Vatican - He has been to New York, Singapore. Chatted with us for an hour. He did good business previous day (of 100 Euro) and is leaving for Bangladesh soon, and therefore felt like talking to us instead of soliciting business ! |
The main problem with online booking is, it is for a particular day and time - I was not sure about my
exact date when I will go to Vatican, I like to keep everything open ended.
Non-guided visitors should join the queue. Always check if there is actually a queue before getting
a guide on the street to skip it; many guides will tell you that there is a huge queue ahead even when
there is none or a short one. Two hour English tours cost €33 and includes museum admission.
The Vatican Museum and St Peter Basilica
One of the greatest art galleries in the world, the museum is most famous for the Raphael Rooms and the exquisitely decorated Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo's frescoes. It's organised in such a way that the visitor has to follow a one-way route; Entry fee is €16.
You cannot miss any part of it, such as the tapestries, the maps and the rooms painted by Rafael as they are en route to the Sistine Chapel - but there is much, much more to explore, including a stunning Egyptian collection and the Pinacoteca, which includes painting by Leonardo da Vinci and paintings by Giotto, Perugino, Raphael, Veronese and Caravaggio, to name just a few. Not to mention the countless, ancient statues.
Accessing the Sistine Chapel requires walking through many other (spectacular) halls and buildings (including the Raphael's Rooms). Sistine chapel comes last. Normal it starts with the section with Statutes.
Also, be aware that it is not allowed to take pictures or to talk loudly in the Sistine Chapel . After that you have to come out and again stand in the queue to enter the St Peter's Basilica for another 3 hours line !
But one can also Sneak into St. Peter's Basilica (Shhh!). If you
are not on a guided tour but want to visit the basilica without waiting in
another 3-hour line, you can "sneak" in. There are two ways to exit
the Sistine Chapel (the end of the Vatican Museum tour). If you take the door
in the back right corner (if your back is to the Last Judgment) you will head
straight to the church without exiting the complex. This is how all the guides
do it, so just blend in and if anyone asks, say you’re on a tour. This l learnt
from one of the fellow bloggers and reproduced that part here.
So without any hassle we got into the St Peter's Basilica.
After spending some time in St Peter's Basilica we left for the metro station.
So without any hassle we got into the St Peter's Basilica.
Trevi Fountain
After I am done with the Basilica, Mohua (being very tired) left for the hotel
and I went to see the famous Trevi Fountain. For that I got down at Barberini - Fontana di Trevi underground
station on Line A of the Rome Metro. There are an endless
supply of fountains in Rome and seeing them will cost you nothing. No one
comes to Rome without making a stop at the Fontana di Trevi. Whether
it be day or night, it’s hard not to admire the sheer beauty of the fountain
that Federico Fellini chose as his backdrop for his masterpiece La
Dolce Vita.
It is completed in 1762 to a design by Nicola Salvi, this spectacular
Baroque fountain features a mythological sculptural composition of Neptune, god
of the seas, flanked by two tritons (mythological Greek god, the messenger of the sea) : one triton is struggling to control a
violent sea-horse, the other controls a pacified creature, both symbolising the
dual nature of the world's oceans.
The Trevi fountain is indeed very special.
 |
| To know more read : www.telegraph.co.uk-the-TreviFountain/ |
Pantheon
My next stop is Pantheon. It is walking distance from
Trevi fountain. It is amazingly well preserved
considering it dates back to 125 AD. The Pantheon, piazza
della Rotonda (in front of the Pantheon - now I know what is the
meaning of Rotunda in Writers Building !) was built by emperor Hadrian on
the site of an earlier temple created by Augustus' right-hand man, Marcus
Agrippa. It's a marvel of ancient architecture; the ancient temple is celebrated
for its large dome and its fine proportions, and was as dedicated to all the
gods of the Roman state religion. However, it has served as a Christian church
since the 7th century; this is also the only building from the Graeco-Roman
world which has remained substantially intact and in continuous use throughout
to the present day and, as it is still a functioning church. From inside of the
Pantheon, you'll see traces of the former bronze ceiling, melted down during
the reign of Pope Urban VIII .The dome is now the third largest masonry dome in the world (the first one is St. Peter's while the second is Hagia Sophia in Istanbul).
 |
Mr Giyasuddin works in a restaurant near Basilica Pantheon for last 23 years. A very nice gentleman. He is standing in front of Pantheon. He had been a great help to me - but for his help I would not have seen Piazza Novona and guided me to take tram no. 8 to go to Trastevere !
|
Piazza Navona
My next plan was to go to Trastevere. For that I have to take Tram no 8. Although police misguided me, Bangladeshi bhai Giyasuddin who works as Chef, nearby, for last 23 years, guided me correctly. He said to me before going to Trastevere , why don't you go to Piazza Novona. It is not very far from here. On his advice I went to Piazza Novona. It is built on the site of the Stadium of Domitian, built in 1st century AD, and follows the form of the open space of the stadium. It is quite spectacular. I found the concept of Piazza or square very fascinating with rows of coffee shops.
Trastevere
Then I came back from Navona to Pantheon and proceed towards Trastevere. I took Tram no. 8. I faced lot of problem to buy the bus/metro/tram pass (my passes has exhausted) since most of the tobacco shops were closed. Again a Bangladeshi bhai came to my rescue and bought the pass from the only shop (which was not visible to me). The reason behind going to Trastevere at night is to experience typical Roman life, away from the tourist crowds. It offers cheap food, great little bars, and tiny winding streets few tourists venture to. Trastevere is a district in Rome. The district's name derives from the Latin words "Trans Tiberim": beyond the Tiber River. Today. Santa Maria in Trastevere, is one of the oldest churches in the city. founded in 222. When I went there some music was played. I sat for some time listening to the music and watching at the apse or semi dome covered in gold mosaics from the 13th century, one of the finest mosaics in the city.
After spending some time at Trastevere I left for home by a combo of
Tram and bus. I got down from Tram near Altare della Patria / Monumento
Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II or National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II built in honour of Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy, The eclectic structure was designed by Giuseppe Sacconi in 1885. It looked really grand. I never planned to see this. I wondered there are so many places like this, for which I have no clue.
Then I took a bus to reach Termini. Today I had dinner at a nice restaurant. I had Pasta Carbonara. But it was not that good. After coming back to our hostel I saw Mohua already there, long back.
Then I took a bus to reach Termini. Today I had dinner at a nice restaurant. I had Pasta Carbonara. But it was not that good. After coming back to our hostel I saw Mohua already there, long back.
12/10/2016
Today we have a train to Florence at 11.35 am. We don't have much time left in Rome. So
we went to see the nearby church Santa Maria degli Angeli . It was
a pleasant surprise for us that it is very near to our hotel, beside the beautiful Piazza della
Repubblica. After spending some time we went back to our hotel.
A day trip to Pompeii is very doable. From Rome, it will take about 3 hours with the "slower" train and 1 hour or so with fast train.Both depart from "Termini". You'll save a decent amount of money by buying the tickets at least 24 hours in advance.One can also go to the hill side villages of Castelli Romani, or the ruins of Ostia Antica (one of the best kept secrets in all of Italy - not very far from the Airport).
We went to the Termini walking. My train (fast) is at 11.35 am and my scheduled arrival in Firenze (that is how Italians refer to Florence) - Santa Maria Novella Station (Main station) is at 1.07 pm. But our train was late by 1 hour ! Even we had to change the scheduled Binario (as told by an Italian - Binario otto) or Platform no. 8, at the last moment. The word binario is very important if you are travelling by train. My little knowledge of Spanish also helped. The slow train would have taken double the time at a lower fare. I paid 24.90 Euro. Again at the station a Bangladeshi vendor helped us to reach the platform in no time. Like India I had to wait for the electronics board to announce the platform. It was bilingual.
We went to the Termini walking. My train (fast) is at 11.35 am and my scheduled arrival in Firenze (that is how Italians refer to Florence) - Santa Maria Novella Station (Main station) is at 1.07 pm. But our train was late by 1 hour ! Even we had to change the scheduled Binario (as told by an Italian - Binario otto) or Platform no. 8, at the last moment. The word binario is very important if you are travelling by train. My little knowledge of Spanish also helped. The slow train would have taken double the time at a lower fare. I paid 24.90 Euro. Again at the station a Bangladeshi vendor helped us to reach the platform in no time. Like India I had to wait for the electronics board to announce the platform. It was bilingual.
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| He was there selling bus tickets at the Roma Termini and guided me to the right platform, as I was late ! |
Book these tickets well in advance for the lowest prices (from €17!) directly from Trenitalia, the national railway. (By the way, don’t be confused, if you type “Florence” into the search and nothing comes up. You need to search for “Roma” to “Firenze”.)
Rome:
21 free things to see and do
1. Churches
Some of Rome’s finest artwork and architectural design on
display can’t only be found in museums. In fact,
the creative
masterpieces of some of the Bel Paese’s finest, Michelangelo, Bernini,
Borromini and many
others are actually found inside the churches of
Rome and can be visited for free.
2. Fountains
There are an endless supply of fountains in Rome and seeing them
will cost you nothing (unless you toss some
coins in, of course)! Some
favorites are the Fontana di Trevi, the Fontana di
Quattro Fiumi (Piazza
Navona), Fontana delle
Tartarughe (Piazza Mattei), Fontana del
Tritone (Piazza Barberini) and Fontana delle
Api (Via
Veneto).
A special note about the Trevi Fountain: No one
comes to Rome without making a stop at the grandiose
Fontana di Trevi. Whether
it be day or night, it’s hard not to admire the sheer beauty of the fountain
that Federico
Fellini chose as his backdrop for his masterpiece La Dolce
Vita.
3. Piazzas
A favorite Italian pastime is to meet up with your friends in
the piazza and shoot the breeze. Some of the more
popular piazzas with both
tourists and locals alike also happen to be very picturesque. These are at the
top of
your must-see list: Piazza di Spagna, Piazza Novona,
Santa Maria in Trastevere, Piazza Venezia, Piazza del
Popolo and Piazza della
Repubblica.
4. Obelisks
There are a number of Ancient Egyptian
and Roman relics scattered in piazzas around the
city. The most famous
obelisks are those located in Piazza San Giovanni in
Lateranno, Piazza Minerva, Piazza del Popolo and
Piazza
Navona.
5. Ruins
Wander up the Via dei Fori Imperiali and see Trajan’s Market (Mercati
di Traiano), Arch of Constantine (Arco
di
Costantino), Roman Forum (Foro Romano) and the Palatine Hill
(Palatino). This is the heart of what is left of
Ancient Rome.
6. St. Peter’s Basilica
There’s nothing quite as remarkable in all of Rome as St. Peter’s
Basilica. The
road and square leading up to the
church is just as magnificent. Though there’s
no cost to get inside, there is a dress code that is strictly
enforced.
Be sure to check out the Vatican Grottoes underneath
the church, where several Popes (including Pope John Paul
II) and St. Peter are
buried. Don’t forget to snap a picture with one of the Swiss Guards standing
outside as well!
7. Parks
Believe it or not, Rome
has lots of green space hidden behind its monuments and ruins. Some famous
parks
are Villa Pamphilli (Monteverde)
and Villa Ada (Corso
Trieste).
8. Villa Borghese
Dubbed the “Central Park of Rome”, Villa Borghese is
one of the few green spaces in the Ancient City where you
can truly relax, take
a stroll and plan a picnic away from all of the hustle and bustle of the city.
Hike up to the
spot called the “Pincio” for a bird’s eye view of Piazza del
Popolo and the Roman skyline. Paradiso!
9. Villa Torlonia
A beautiful villa and garden that was also the Mussolini family
residence, the Villa Torlonia then
fell into
disrepair and is now being restored. The garden contains many exotic
plants and large trees. There’s also a nice
museum called the Casina dellle
Civette that’s remarkable for its stained glass
windows. Open daily 7 a.m. – 8:30
p.m., Via Nomentana, 70.
10. Appia Antica
All roads lead to Rome and what better way to enjoy a peaceful stroll than
taking the old path to Rome
on a Sunday
when all cars are banned? The Appian Antica way
makes for a lovely walk with (literally) tons of
ancient ruins to see along the
way. The park has detailed routes with maps for the best walking routes.
11. Street Markets
Experience first hand how
Romans shop for fresh fruits and vegetables, or how they bargain down the price
of
that shirt they always wanted! Rome’s street markets are absolutely free to
visit, unless you buy something of
course!
The best open-air food markets are: Mercato di Trionfale (Via
Andrea Doria), Campo de’ Fiori (Centro Storico)
and Piazza San Giovanni di Dio
(Monteverde).
Best flea markets are: Via Sannio
Market (San Giovanni) and Porta Portese Market (Trestevere).
12. Gianicolo Hill
For breathtaking views of
the city, head up the Gianicolo Hill from Trastevere.
At the top of the hill, there is also a
lovely 17th century fountain and a
statue of the Italian national military hero Giuseppe Garibaldi.
13. The Teatro di Pulcinella in Rome
Casa di Pulcinnella is home to wonderful open-air puppet shows. The shows
are free (although a small donation is
appreciated). What’s more, the
Gianicolo Hill, home to the theater, provides fantastic views of the city.
14. Galleria Nazionale di San Luca
Located near the Trevi
Fountain at Piazza dell’Accademia di San Luca #77, the Galleria Nazionale di San Luca is
open on select days, but always free. Bernini famously got his start at this
academy. Browse works by famous
and not so famous artists here (Van Dyck and
Raphael to name a few).
15. Trastevere
Wander the streets and lose yourself in the winding cobble-stoned
alleyways that make Trastevere
Rome’s oldest neighborhood, so charming. Don’t miss a chance to
meander these streets. Remember,
a passeggiata won’t cost you a thing!
17. Piramide (Pyramid)
Believe it or not, Rome has a pyramid. The piramide was
originally built as a tomb for for Gaius Cestius in
12 BC, and is located in
bustling piazza right near the Piramide Metro stop (Line B). While
it’s free to visit,
you can only appreciate the outside of the pyramid.
18. Art Galleries on Via Margutta
The small, tucked away art market on Via Margutta has held a reputation since the 17th century of being
a
notorious haunt for bohemians and starving artists. In the 1950s, its studios and bars were frequented by
the likes of Sophia Loren and Marlon Brando. Why not drop by? It’s free!
19. Crypts and Bones
Creepy for some, yet cool
for others, the Santa Maria della Immocalata Concezione church, or best known
as
the “Rome’s Capuchin
Crypt” has a tiny crypt underneath
it where the skulls and bones of more than 4,000
Capuchin monks have been
artfully arranged to decorate the walls of several tiny chapels. It’s located
on Via
Veneto near Piazza Barberini.
20. Aula Octagona
Considered to be one of Rome’s hidden treasures, the Aula Octagona is
a well-kept secret in Piazza della
Repubblica that houses ancient Roman sculptures. The room was part of the
Baths of Diocletian, and is today
the only part of the Roman National
Museum that is free to visit.
21. Pantheon
Along with the Colosseum, the Pantheon is one of Rome’s best preserved ancient buildings. Originally constructed as a pagan temple, the Pantheon was later converted into a church. The immense monument located in Piazza della Rotonda, is a historian’s (and photographer’s) paradise, and costs nothing to visit.
The piazza also happens to be a favourite hangout for young
people and becomes quite lively with its outdoor
cafés and street performers.
Florence
Tuscany is a region in central Italy. Its
capital, Florence, unarguably, Tuscany's most famous city, is home to some of the world’s most
recognizable Renaissance art and architecture, including Michelangelo’s
"David" statue, Botticelli’s works in the Uffizi Gallery and the Duomo Basilica (Duomo is a term for an Italian cathedral / Church. Similarly Basilica is a church to whom special privilege has been granted by Pope). Its diverse natural landscape encompasses the rugged Apennine
Mountains, the Tyrrhenian Sea, Chianti’s Olive groves and Vineyards. Every year, millions of people visit
the cradle of the Renaissance, visiting its main museums and strolling through
its streets to gaze and admire its monuments, churches, palazzos and more.
The language they speak in Italy is also largely the language of Florence. Dante,who is from Florence, is often considered as the father of modern Italian language. Dante wrote Divine comedy in local Florentine language spoken by the residents of Florence (instead of Latin and shocked the world) ,which language became the basis of modern Italian language.He considered Latin an elitist language. It is often said that Italian language is the most beautiful language since the Italian intellectuals handpicked the most beautiful of all the local dialects and crowned it Italian...for the longest time Italy wasn't even a country. It was unified in 1861. Parts of Italy belonged to France, parts to Spain, parts to church. So a scientist in Florence could barely communicate with a poet in Sicily or a merchant in Venice (except Latin of course, which was considered a national language). The reason being there was no one Italian language during the time of Dante.Today what we call French is essentially medieval Parisian, Portuguese is Lisboan and Spanish is Madrileno. That is not the case in case of Italian (Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert).
The train was very nice. Like airplane, foods are served to the
passengers by a food trolley. We had a coffee for 1 Euro.
After reaching the station, we walked for 8-10 minutes to reach our hostel. While walking you can admire the recently renovated square with its beautiful Santa Maria Novella Church very near to the Train Station. The church's facade in white and green marble was designed by Leon Battista Alberti while the stunning Tornabuoni Chapel inside has frescoes by Ghirlandaio - a must see!
After reaching the station, we walked for 8-10 minutes to reach our hostel. While walking you can admire the recently renovated square with its beautiful Santa Maria Novella Church very near to the Train Station. The church's facade in white and green marble was designed by Leon Battista Alberti while the stunning Tornabuoni Chapel inside has frescoes by Ghirlandaio - a must see!
In Florence we met a wonderful person called Ubai Kamal from Khartoum, Sudan. We were late by at least an hour because of our train.We left together from the hostel. Ubai bought some cheese and multigrain bread from a departmental store - Conard , just beside our hostel and offered some to us. Our first destination was Palazzo (means palace) de Pitti. Since he has only one day at his disposal , he decided to skip Pitti palace. It is walking distance from our hostel.
Pitti Palace and Boboli
Gardens
Pitti Palace, is a vast, mainly Renaissance, palace in Florence, Italy. It is quite different from what we saw in Vatican museum. It is situated on the south side of the River Arno, a short distance from the Ponte Vecchio. The core of the present palazzo dates from 1458 and was originally the town residence of Luca Pitti, an ambitious Florentine banker. The building was sold in 1549 by uonaccorso Pitti, a descendant of Luca Pitti to the Medici family and became the chief residence of the ruling families of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. It grew as a great treasure house as later generations amassed paintings, plates, jewelry and luxurious possessions.In the late 18th century, the palazzo was used as a power base by Napoleon,and later served for a brief period as the principal royal palace of the newly united Italy. The palazzo is now the largest museum complex in Florence.The construction of this building was commissioned in 1458 by the Florentine banker Luca Pitti, a principal supporter and friend of Cosimo de' Medici.
 |
| To know more read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo_Pitti |
At the Pitti Palace stands magnificently the Palatine Gallery and the Modern Art Gallery, with the impressive Boboli Gardens as its backyard.
We skipped the garden due to lack of time and extra entry fees that needs to be paid for that. After that we left for Ponte Vecchio. It is near Pitti Palace. It is Florence's most celebrated landmark. The Ponte Vecchio or literally, the "old bridge" connected the Arno river banks exactly at this point since the 12th century! During World War II, it was the only bridge across the Arno that the fleeing Germans did not destroy. The Ponte Vecchio is lined with shops, traditionally mostly jewellers, since the days of the Medici. Butchers initially occupied the shops.
We skipped the garden due to lack of time and extra entry fees that needs to be paid for that. After that we left for Ponte Vecchio. It is near Pitti Palace. It is Florence's most celebrated landmark. The Ponte Vecchio or literally, the "old bridge" connected the Arno river banks exactly at this point since the 12th century! During World War II, it was the only bridge across the Arno that the fleeing Germans did not destroy. The Ponte Vecchio is lined with shops, traditionally mostly jewellers, since the days of the Medici. Butchers initially occupied the shops.
Then we left for Piazza della Signoria - which is an L-shaped square in front of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy. It is the focal point of the origin and of the history of the Florentine Republic and still maintains its reputation as the political hub of the city. It is the meeting place of Florentines as well as the numerous tourists, located near Plazzo Vecchio and Piazza del Duomo and gateway to Uffizi Gallery. Home to the “Fake David”, Piazza Signoria (previously called Palazzo Signoria) is definitely a sight to see. What makes Piazza Signoria special is the abundance of statues within the plaza. The statues represent antique renaissance art including a copy of Michaelangelo’s David. In this square you can also visit the Florence Town Hall, also known as, Palazzo Vecchio. This Romanesque Fortress is one of most significant public places in Italy.
In the piazza itself one can admire Neptune's Fountain by Ammannati and the equestrian statue of Cosimo I by Giambologna.
Unfortunately we could not enter Museum of Palazzo Vecchio. It was late.
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| Fake David in front of Signoria |
While we were sitting there in the Piazza della Signoria - we met Ubai on his way back from Uffizi gallery. We chatted for quite some time. People from Sudan (like Sub Saharan part) are quite different from South Sudan. After a long war South Sudan became a nation in 2011. North of Sudan is Egypt. He is a dentist by profession and came to Bologna for learning dental implant. On his way back he decided to see Florence. His wife (also a dentist) is a great fan of India and Bollywood. She has some Turkish blood also. Ubai told me she is very modern and does not wear hijab. Ubai himself is very modern and left minded. I learnt on 28th January his wife delivered a baby. We are still in touch. He invited me to his home in Sudan. May be some time ! Khartoum is a very modern city. To know more of Sudan click here :
https://www.youtube.com
Then we had some gelato together. Mohua gave us the treat ! On the way
we saw some programme to held today, for Vivaldi's classical music. The minimum
ticket is around 30 Euro. So we skipped it this time. We had our dinner in a
nearby restaurant.
13/10/2016
Today we started our day with the famous Piazza del Duomo. Piazza del Duomo is in the heart of Florence. The majestic Duomo or Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, with its famous cupola or dome by Brunelleschi, is an engineering feat of the Renaissance. The Campanile or Bell Tower, in Florence, is part of the Duomo complex, which includes the (Duomo) and the Baptistery. After the Duomo, the Campanile is one of the most recognizable buildings in Florence. It is 278 feet high and offers fine views of the Duomo and of Florence.
From the top of bell tower or Campanile one can admire an incredible view of the city. Since our time was limited, I went up to the top of Duomo/cathedral . Climbing so many stares is not such an easy thing. It is pretty exhausting to be honest.
After taking some Pizza by slice (while walking) for lunch, we went to Piazza
San Lorenzo. In the San Lorenzo Church here, the Medici family worshipped.
After going inside the church, I got to know why Italian marble is so famous and why wife's grandmother used to boast " we have Italian Marble " !!
If you go around the back of the church, there is a separate entrance to the Medici chapels , final resting place for the Medici dynasty where you'll find 9 amazingly beautiful marble statues by Michelangelo . Some of them are really stunning. Especially Duke of Urbino and Duke of Nemours.
After going inside the church, I got to know why Italian marble is so famous and why wife's grandmother used to boast " we have Italian Marble " !!
If you go around the back of the church, there is a separate entrance to the Medici chapels , final resting place for the Medici dynasty where you'll find 9 amazingly beautiful marble statues by Michelangelo . Some of them are really stunning. Especially Duke of Urbino and Duke of Nemours.
Since we were running short of time we quickly left for Academia Gallery. It is on everyone's list, since the Accademia Gallery houses Michelangelo's original marble statue David, created between 1501 and 1504. The statue measures 5.17 meters tall and it is a
marble figure of the biblical hero named David. A copy of it in
front of Palazzo Vecchio. We were late. There was a long queue and academia
closes by 6.00 pm. Somehow we gatecrashed into the Gallery. While Mohua was
standing in the line I bought the ticket for tomorrow's Tuscany Tour from a
local agent. Honestly the prices were not much different from what I saw in
Internet from India. I did not find too many travel agents on my way to
Duomo or Medici chapel or Academia. So I could not compare. David's statue is
considered a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture. It is also famous
for statue of Rape of the Sabines.
David depicted
the young David before he went on to his battle with the mighty Goliath. Hence,
the figure’s face appeared tensed and set for combat. "No other artwork is equal to it in any respect, with
such just proportion, beauty and excellence .....”.
I considered myself quite lucky to be present there.
I considered myself quite lucky to be present there.
Due to lack of time we could not go to Uffizi gallery. Right next to Palazzo Vecchio is the Uffizi Gallery, It is one of Italy's top museums and one of the most important in the world with its large collection of Renaissance masterpieces such as the Allegory of Spring and the Birth of Venus by Botticelli, just to name two of its incredible collection. If you want to go to the Uffizi Gallery, you should buy Uffizi tickets online ahead of time, as there is most often a long line outside.
14/10/2016
Today we went near Santa Novella Rail station, where our bus is waiting for the conducted tour. I have made all the calculation and concluded that going to San Gimignano , Chianti , wine tour in one day and that too at 80 Euro is impossible and with that comes free wine tasting with snacks and some entry tickets.
One of the famous companies which conducts this tour is https://www.viator.com
Our first stop is San Gimignano. It is a very nice quaint town. San Gimignano, renowned for its "medieval skyscrapers", high walls and narrow streets that typify most peoples image of a Tuscan hill town. San Gimignano is unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses, which, with its hilltop setting and encircling walls, form an unforgettable skyline.
One of the famous companies which conducts this tour is https://www.viator.com
Our first stop is San Gimignano. It is a very nice quaint town. San Gimignano, renowned for its "medieval skyscrapers", high walls and narrow streets that typify most peoples image of a Tuscan hill town. San Gimignano is unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses, which, with its hilltop setting and encircling walls, form an unforgettable skyline.
The church of Sant'Agostino in the
northeastern part of the city contains a set of great frescoes on the life of
St. Augustine by Benozzo Gozzoli. The
Torre Grossa, the tallest of San Gim's towers, has great views. But if you walk uphill behind the Collegiata, opposite, to the ruined
Rocca (fortress), you get the same sublime views – out over vine-clad hills . Contemporary Galleria Continua ( galleriacontinua.com) is free. We had some famous Biscotti at San Gimignano. It is
little more expensive than Florence since it is overtly touristic city.
From there our next tour is to Siena. Siena is a medieval city in the region of Tuscany, located in the north of Italy some 70 km south of Florence. It is probably best known for a colourful horse
race, Il
Palio, conducted twice
each year in the summer.
Siena was a wealthy independent city-state during
the Middle Ages, until its final defeat by Florence. Medieval Sienese art
(painting, sculpture, architecture, etc.) is unique and of great historical
importance. The Palio, is all about neighborhood pride and rivalry and
also constitutes the unbroken continuation of a Medieval tradition . It is
taken very seriously and is in no way a put-on for tourists; in fact, you are
likely to be less welcomed during the Palio than at any other time,
Siena becames a very poor little city for a few
hundred years after its defeat, which is the main reason that its lovely
Medieval buildings were never torn down and replaced with modern
structures.
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| Palio race takes place here |
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| Inside a contrada |
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| Oldest bank in the world in continuous operation is in Siena - Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena founded in 1472 |
After reaching Siena the first thing we did, was to
have a light lunch. We had a guided tour here and visited the following :
· The Piazza del Campo, the unique shell shaped piazza at the
centre of the city and the racetrack for the Palio
· The Duomo, Siena's magnificent black and white Italian
Romanesque cathedral including the Baptistery and an attached Museo
dell'Opera del Duomo.
· The Palazzo Salimbeni, built in 1472, is the world
headquarters of Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the world's oldest bank. Inside,
there are interesting documents showing the history of banking plus a
collection of paintings and other artwork.
· But the interesting thing in Siena is Contrade. Currently there are 17
Contrade in Siena, considerably reduced from the original 54. Each Contrada is
like a small state within the city and manages its own recreational activities,
administration, its archives, a museum containing works of art and the costumes
for the processions and a Sala delle Vittorie containing all the Palio banners
won through the centuries. Some of these banners date back to the 17th century.
Each Contrada also has its own church as well as a stable for keeping the horse
before the Palio.
Each Contrada is governed by a Council, which is democratically elected every two, three and sometimes four years. The Council is called Seggio or Sedia. The most senior member of the Council is called the Priore Capo della Contrada and he is assisted by a secretary known as the Vicario Generale. All matters concerning the Palio are managed by an elected Capitano, who is assisted by two Tenenti or Mangini.
Each Contrada is governed by a Council, which is democratically elected every two, three and sometimes four years. The Council is called Seggio or Sedia. The most senior member of the Council is called the Priore Capo della Contrada and he is assisted by a secretary known as the Vicario Generale. All matters concerning the Palio are managed by an elected Capitano, who is assisted by two Tenenti or Mangini.
It is generally agreed that the Contrade are a derivation of the Compagnie Militari in which the city was divided for the organisation of its militia. Each Contrada took part in the public events held in Piazza del Campo with a procession and allegorical carts representing exotic animals such as the panther, the giraffe, the eagle, the leocorn etc.
The existing boundaries between the Contrade were laid down in an edict issued in 1730 by the then governor of Siena, Beatrice Violante of Baviera. This was an important step in that within its boundaries each Contrada is empowered to conduct the so-called questua to gather funds for the public feasts in Piazza del Campo.
It is important to understand that every Sienese is first of all a member of his Contrada, which becomes a second family and the place where he conducts all his everyday activities.
Our guide took us inside the office of one of the Contrada's. Then we
went on to see the Basilica Caterniana, where we saw a picture of Mother
Teresa. Mind it when we went there, Mother Teresa had not become Saint yet.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contrade_of_Siena
http://www.sienaonline.com/palio_of_siena_contrade.html
http://www.initaly.com/regions/museums/palio.htm
Our next stop is unique location in the Chianti (pronounced as Keeanti) countryside to enjoy wine tastings. Chianti is an area of Tuscany, Italy made famous by the red wine of the same name. It has much to offer for a visitor interested in wine, food and natural beauty. Many of the wineries are open for a tour and a tasting and some offer accommodation services as well. Once we hop off the bus, we were be guided to the splendid estate ; here we were introduced to the estate's fascinating history and background inside the wine cellar. Then we tasted Chianti Classico wine and some snacks (salami and Cheese). We had tasted three types of wine. After the tasting we were escorted to the counter where you can buy some wine, salami and cheese. You can pay with your cards. The estates is in the middle of nowhere. I went inside the vineyard to take some photo. Unfortunately grapes were already plucked few days back. We were the only Indians in that tour. The guide in the estate speaks very good English and really knows how to present everything. We read there are many Airbnb homestays here. We plan to stay here someday for a fortnight !
On the way back we got down at a market in Greaves, Chianti region to have our snacks. At that place I saw the statue of Giovanni da Verrazzano - he was an Italian explorer who charted the Atlantic coast of North America between the Carolinas and Newfoundland, including New York Harbor in 1524. The Verrazano – Narrows Bridge in New York was named after him.
It would not be out of place to include my Italian friend Isabella's detailed dos and don't of Italian food here. It helped me a lot and used it as a bible throughout my tour. I am reproducing it in verbatim
Tuscany wines:Chianti, Montepulciano, Brunello di Montalcino, Tignanello, Bolgheri, Montecucco, Ansonica (all red) and the white Vernaccia. A typical sweet red dark tuscan wine is Vin Santo, which people drink it with very dry biscuits called Cantucci or phonetically Kaankuchhi ( I had Vin Santo - which is nice).
Wines
from Veneto (the region of
Venice), which are for my (Isabella) taste very good: Bardolino, Soave, Valpolicella,
Lugana, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot. And the sparkling wines from Veneto: Spumante whose upscale brands are Ferrari
& Berlucchi. (But in the supermarket you can
get cheaper brands like Cinzano and they always have the Secco, Demi - Secco & Dolce versions - dry, semi-dry and sweet).
In the supermarkets there is a lot of choice, spend at least 4 Euro for
a bottle.
Cheese: There are loads of cheese; very typical in Tuscany are the cheese made with goat and sheep milk, called Caprino and Pecorino respectively (which you find in other regions as
well) with many different types.
On a national level, very well known cheeses are: Gorgonzola, Taleggio, Asiago, Caciotta just to name a few,
which are from other regions, but
you should try them. In a small grocery shop
or in a supermarket where there is the cheese counter, you can get small slices
of many cheeses. (I had small slices of cheese in Milan and Florence).
Food: the Primo will fill you up and is generally the least expensive dish, pasta of all sorts with different sauces (pasta type and sauce can vary according to the region, but you always find the best-sellers on every menu, like pasta con Pomodoro e basilico, Pasta alla carbonara, Pasta All'amatriciana, Pasta alla Bolognese). I had almost all of them.(Note that on the menu you generally do not see Pasta but the specific type of it, like spaghetti, fusilli, conchiglie, linguine etc)
Primo can also be a Risotto, that is rice cooked with a sauce (very very different from the Indian rice), definitely try it once, the Venetians make very good Risotto. (In fact I,yours truly, had one in Venice - which is nice)
Also you should try Polenta (made with corn flour), the Venetians use it a lot, it will be presented with some meat, so it will be more in the Secondi section (second dish, that is meat or fish with vegs). [I, yours truly, had Polenta in Florence. I did not find it exceptional - but interesting. In fact the meat which I had with Polenta [ I thought it is free !] was quite expensive )]
Have a look at this website in english, they offer tours, but give fairly good explanations about food in Florence, Rome and Venice, naming some typical regional dishes you might want to try eatingitalyfoodtours.com
As I told you already, in the grocery shops and supermarkets you will find food to eat while visiting, and also to take back to your room if you want to spare on restaurants; it is better you go to a Trattoria than a restaurant, they are normally cheaper.
Salami or Affe-ttati (these words describe all sorts of ham, salami etc. that are made of pork
meat and are sold in slices - Fette in
italian)
Prosciutto is ham, the 2
main categories are Prosciutto cotto
(cooked ham, of a rose colour) or Prosciutto crudo (literally raw ham, though it is sort of cooked
through the seasoning for many months. In other words Crudo has a
stronger taste than the cotto and is usually more
expensive, it is my favourite salami)
Salame Mortadella (this is typical of a region called Emilia -Romagna) - but as all others salami you find it everywhere in Italy
Culatello
Culatello
Coppa
All affettati are cut and served in thin slices, you also find them packed in supermarkets, though it is best to have them cut fresh either in the supermarket or in the Negozio di Alimentari (general term for shops selling food only ).
Then it is time to come back to Florence. It was already dark. We returned with an unforgettable experience. Today we planned to have some special dinner at a Trattoria. A trattoria is an Italian-style eating establishment, less formal than a ristorante, but more formal than an osteria. There are generally no printed menus, the service is casual, wine is sold by the decanter rather than the bottle, prices are low, and the emphasis is on a steady clientele rather than on haute cuisine. The food is modest but plentiful (mostly following regional and local recipes) and in some instances is even served family-style (i.e. at common tables).
Then it is time to come back to Florence. It was already dark. We returned with an unforgettable experience. Today we planned to have some special dinner at a Trattoria. A trattoria is an Italian-style eating establishment, less formal than a ristorante, but more formal than an osteria. There are generally no printed menus, the service is casual, wine is sold by the decanter rather than the bottle, prices are low, and the emphasis is on a steady clientele rather than on haute cuisine. The food is modest but plentiful (mostly following regional and local recipes) and in some instances is even served family-style (i.e. at common tables).
Trattoria faithful to this stereotype have become fewer in the last 20 years and many have adopted some (or several) of the trappings of restaurants, with just one or two "concessions" to the old rustic and familiar style. We spend around 32 Euro today. The food was good. We had gnocchi , Spaghetti, Risotto and Polenta those suggested by my friend Isabella.
 |
| Mohua is having Pnochi (and Polenta is for me) |
For the difference between trattoria, osteria, ristorante and enoteca :
http://ruralhotelstuscany.com/
You can read the blog of my friend https://ashwinbahulkar.wordpress.com to know more about Florence, its food and other areas of Italy.
Some popular tour companies in Florence to go out of Florence are :
http://www.florenceandtuscanytours.com
https://www.viator.com
http://www.firenze.city-sightseeing.it
https://www.getyourguide.com
http://www.isango.com
http://www.italyonabudgettours.com
http://www.grayline.com
http://www.tuscanyonabudget.com
15/10/2016
Today we are leaving for Venice by evening train at 4.30 pm and will reach Veince (Santa Lucia
Station) at 6.35 pm. I intentionally kept the departure time late, so that I can go to Pisa.
In the early morning I left for Pisa by local train. It takes about an hour to reach "Pisa Centrale station" from Florence for 9 Euro.I bought the ticket at the station for local train.The frequency of train is very good. Needless to say even the local or Regional train is better than our best trains ! I was planning to go to Cinque terre too , since I could not go to Amalfi coast to the South of Rome. But there was hardly any time for that.
source : amalfi+pictures
source: lonelyplanetimages.img
On the advise of my friend Isabella, I dropped the idea- since she thought giving two days to Florence is absolutely important. From Pisa Centrale station, you have to walk for 20 minutes (very pleasant walk) to Pisa. Pisa would not be Pisa, without the University. The University of Pisa has 60,000 students in a city of about 100,000 inhabitants.
There is a quaint town at Lucca near Pisa - which is also worth
visiting. My plan is to go to Lucca on the way to Cinque Terre, next time. Galileo was born in Pisa and studied in the University of Pisa.
In 1589 the Italian scientist Galileo Galilei dropped two spheres of different masses from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to demonstrate that their time of descent was independent of their mass. Some of the travel agents from India stay one day at Pisa. Normally when I travel I do not like to see too many pictures of a place. I had no idea that apart from Leaning tower of Pisa or Torre Pendente there is also Battistero (Baptistry) , Duomo di Pisa (Cathedral of Pisa) and Campo Santo Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery) - a huge cemetery building with lots of interesting art including splendid medieval frescoes . The whole complex or square or Piazza is simply stunning.
In the early morning I left for Pisa by local train. It takes about an hour to reach "Pisa Centrale station" from Florence for 9 Euro.I bought the ticket at the station for local train.The frequency of train is very good. Needless to say even the local or Regional train is better than our best trains ! I was planning to go to Cinque terre too , since I could not go to Amalfi coast to the South of Rome. But there was hardly any time for that.
 |
| Amalfi coast |
 |
| Cinque Terre |
On the advise of my friend Isabella, I dropped the idea- since she thought giving two days to Florence is absolutely important. From Pisa Centrale station, you have to walk for 20 minutes (very pleasant walk) to Pisa. Pisa would not be Pisa, without the University. The University of Pisa has 60,000 students in a city of about 100,000 inhabitants.
In 1589 the Italian scientist Galileo Galilei dropped two spheres of different masses from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to demonstrate that their time of descent was independent of their mass. Some of the travel agents from India stay one day at Pisa. Normally when I travel I do not like to see too many pictures of a place. I had no idea that apart from Leaning tower of Pisa or Torre Pendente there is also Battistero (Baptistry) , Duomo di Pisa (Cathedral of Pisa) and Campo Santo Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery) - a huge cemetery building with lots of interesting art including splendid medieval frescoes . The whole complex or square or Piazza is simply stunning.
 |
| source : wikipedia |
Leaning Tower was originally conceived as the cathedral's bell tower. Construction
began in 1173 and the tower started leaning soon afterwards due to subsidence
of the ground underneath its base. A project to stop the tower from leaning
more and tipping over finally reached a successful conclusion in 2001.
Baptistery : the part of a church used for baptism.
First view of Venice after getting down at Santa Lucia station
Initially I planned to stay at Lido - a small Island , South of
Venice - a place where Venice film festival takes place. Before reaching our
hostel we had to cross a bridge (Ponte) delle Guglie. Our hostel is a
church converted to hostel. On the way the Bangladeshi brothers guided us
to reach the hostel in no time. Intentionally I keep the hostels within walking
distance from train or bus station. Most of the travel agents from India keep their guests stay at
Venezia Mestre. Venice is an Island connected to the mainland (which includes
Venezia Mestre. Padua and others). Venice is significantly more expensive that Mestre.
On the advice of my friends I decided to stay there and paid one of the highest
tariffs for the hostel fare in my life. But staying in Mestre is just like any
other place in Italy. But to feel Venice, one must stay in Venice. I think I
took a correct decision. After reached our hostel, I did have a look at around
our hostel.It is is one of the most
interesting and lovely places in the world.
Venice, the capital of northern Italy’s Veneto
region, is built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic
Sea. It has no roads, just canals – including the Grand Canal thoroughfare –
lined with Renaissance and Gothic palaces. The central square Piazza San
Marco contains St. Mark’s Basilica, which is tiled with Byzantine mosaics and
the Campanile or bell tower offering views of the city’s red roofs.
Few places in the world can claim to such a
spectacular natural setting, untainted architectural heritage, or jaw-dropping
Grand Canal. Venice’s museums are world class; its 141 churches are galleries
in themselves. Other incredible sights include the Gothic Doge’s Palace and the
Basilica of San Marco, which glows with Byzantine gold mosaics. Even the most
seasoned visitors get lost in the city’s network of islands, bridges,
pedestrian alleys, and canals. And therein lies the beauty of the destination:
afternoons spent wandering from palace to piazza, exploring the small art
museums, shopping at the stalls that line the streets, and encountering a fresh
side of Venice, a fascinating amalgamation of influences—Roman, Byzantine,
Ottoman, and Italian — around every corner. But the focal point of Venice is Piazza San Marco.
16/10/2016
The
major portion of the traffic of the city of Venice goes along the Grand Canal or Canal Grande and thus to avoid congestion of traffic, there are already 3 bridges – the Ponte dei Scalzi, the Ponte dell’
Accademia, and the Rialto Bridge. We
took the boat from Ca-do-ro pier or vaporetto station. Vaporetti is plural !
We could have also taken the
vaparetto from San Marcuola. Our destination is most famous destination in
Venice - Piazza San Marco or San Marco square.
This square is the focal point of the city, the place all tourists
arrive at at some point during their stay in Venice. The square has been a
focal point of the city for centuries and is the only Venice
"Piazza"; the other squares are called "campi." 
The square is a gathering place for both locals and visitors .Visitors
can enjoy the open space, which is lined with pleasant outdoor cafes and
restaurants and stores beneath the surrounding covered arcades(succession of arches). One of the most
famous cafes on the square is the Caffe Florian. The square is also known for
the many pigeons. You can buy some food from Bangladeshis to to feed
them.
Video credit : https://www.facebook.com/lt.ta.lia/videos/323611091383927/
The square is surrounded by some of the must-see sites of Venice like
the Doge's Palace where rulers lived and ran their court; the Basilica San
Marco; the basilica's free-standing campanile (bell tower); the Library of
Saint Mark's and St. Mark's Square Clock tower.
Saint Mark's Basilica on the Piazza San Marco is
one of the highlights of a visit to Venice. Filming and photography inside the Basilica is
forbidden, so be prepared in advance. A visit to St Mark’s Basilica is a
must ! St. Mark's Basilica is Venice's most famous church, known for its art
work and history. The church overlooks St. Mark's Square on the edge of the
Grand Canal and is joined to the Doge's Palace. In the 9th century
merchants smuggled relics out of Egypt and brought them to Venice.
The scene is depicted in the oldest known exterior mosaic in the world located
above the cathedral's front doors (1260-70).
A church was constructed to house
the saint's relics but burnt down almost 150 years later. It was rebuilt by
Doge Domenico Contarini and the cathedral we see today dates back to 1071 but
incorporates what remained of the original structures. When the adjacent Doge's
Palace was renovated, the cathedral also got an architectural up-date and Gothic
architecture was introduced like the elevated domes and a new façade. The
Doge's (Dukes) of Venice used the building as their own private chapel until it
became the Cathedral of Venice in 1807.
Then we went to Duke or Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale), also
in San Marco Square. Regular ticket €16 valid for the Doge’s
Palace and the Museo Correr, Museo Archeologico Nazionale. 
The Doges Palace is a monumental piece of architecture and perhaps the most
important site in Venice. This grand Gothic palace was the
Doge's official residence from the 9th century and seat of the Venetian
Republic's government (and prisons) for nearly 7 centuries. The local affairs of Venice were governed by Doge or Duke and
despite being under the Byzantine Emperor, the city was relatively autonomous.
From the 10th to 11th century the Doge's whole entourage, public offices,
courtrooms, residential apartments, stables, prison, armoury and other civil
facilities were moved to the present site of the palace. 
Ponte dei Sospiri : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Sighs
Under Doge Ziani (1172-1178) additions to the structure and renovations
were carried out following a destructive fire. In the 14th century the palace
needed to be expanded again due to the increased number of participants in
government affairs. Doge Franesco Foscari instigated further changes in the
15th century and several fires caused more renovations and construction.
Looking at
the painting it became clear to me, the genesis of Satyajit Ray's famous movie
Tintoretto's Jishu. I think when Ray came here for Venice film festival he came
here and then the story of Tintoretto's Jishu germinated from this.
In the lunch time, we had food from a restaurant run by Bangladeshis (owned by
a Italian). We learnt that the Bangladeshis mostly has come for
"agriculture" and then left the field work for city life (hawking
stuff, working in restaurant). He told me that human rights are very strong
here. Nobody will bodily harm you. Italians are very liberal and are one of the
least racist people you will ever find in Europe. They are generally very nice
people. This is the story I have heard from Bangladeshis everywhere in Italy.
They are all in praise for the Italians. It is important to note that the per capita GDP of Italy of USD 30,000 is lower than major countries of Europe (e.g. USD 42,000 for Germany or USD 40,000 for UK) and the Italian economy is not in very good shape (Though many times more than India at USD 1850).
Then we started walking towards San Giovanni e
Paolo . A fine, huge Dominican church with the tombs of many Doges.
It shares its piazza with the fine Renaissance facade of the Scuola San Marco .
There is a hostpital just beside the church. There is also a water ambulance !
By this time the sun was setting. So we decided to go to Burano by vaporetto from Fondamente Nove Pier. It will not cost us anything, since we have unlimited 48
hours ticket. We thought it is better to go to an island and see the setting
sun from the vaporetto. When we reached Burano it
was already late. We had only 30-40 minutes before the last vaporetto leaves
for Fondamente Nove Pier. It seemed to us, although it was only 8 pm , it
appeared to be 3 am at night. We could hardly see anybody. We saw only one
restaurant open. Even at night, we can make out the remarkable island of Burano.
From Fondamente Nove we walked all the way to our hostel. On the way we
had our dinner in one restaurant run by a chinese. We had pizza. Although we
sat on the sidewalk, still we had to pay Coperto !
Today we walked upto Orto pier
which is near the church Madonna dell'Orto.
It is a mistake,we should have taken it from Fondamente Nuove - which is the main pier.
Venice is full of shops of Masks.
To go to Murano or Burano one must take the vaporetto from Fondamente (Ft) Nuove, since the one from Orto ultimately go to Murano via Ft Nuove. Our fist visit is to Murano - which can actually be seen from Ft Nove,Venice. It takes around 10-15 minutes from Ft Nove. Murano is composed of 7 islands, linked by bridges, separated by 8 channels. Murano is known for its glass worldwide. Murano glass is made on the Venetian island of Murano, which has specialized in fancy glasswares for centuries. Today, the artisans of Murano are still employing these centuries-old techniques.
Murano’s reputation as a center for glassmaking was born when the Venetian Republic, fearing fire and destruction of the city’s mostly wooden buildings, ordered glassmakers to move their foundries to Murano in 1291. Murano's glass makers were soon the island’s most prominent citizens. However, glass makers were not allowed to leave the Republic. Exportation of professional secret was punished by death. Many craftsmen took this risk and set up glass furnaces in surrounding cities and as far as England and the Netherlands.
After that we went to another pier to leave for
Burano. From Murano it takes around 30 minutes to reach Burano. Just before
Burano is Mazzorbo Island.
I found it really fascinating to say the least. It is a photographer's delight.
It rose in importance only in the 16th century, when women on the island began making lace with needles, being introduced via Venetian-ruled Cyprus. When Leonardo da Vinci visited in 1481, he purchased a cloth for the main altar of the Duomo di Milano. The lace was soon exported across Europe, but trade began to decline in the 18th century and the industry did not revive until 1872, when a school of lace making was opened.
Lace making on the island boomed again, but few now make lace in the traditional manner as it is extremely time-consuming and therefore expensive. Many shops are selling lacework.
After walking for some time around the Island, we
left for Venice. For lack of time, we could not go to Torcello. Though there
is not much to see in Torcello, except for the old church. One of the
popular Island tours include Murano, Burano and Torcello tour. We took a
vaporetto go to Venice. It took around 40 minutes.
After getting down from Ft Nuove, we saw church
of Santa Maria Assunta, known as I Gesuiti / Chiesa dei
Gesuiti (Jesuits) very near to it. The Jesuits were never popular in Venice and this
might explain the relatively remote location chosen for this church
with Baroque decorations . Saint Ignatius of Loyola visited the city of Venice for the first time in 1523. Every
year on July 31, the Jesuits celebrate the Feast of St Ignatius of Loyola.
Ignatius is the Founder of our Religious Order, called the Society of Jesus, popularly known as Jesuits.
The
youngest son of a noble chief, Ignatius was
born in Loyola, Spain, in 1491. Reared to be a Courtier in the service of
the Crown, his desire was to win fame as a soldier of great valour. He was the
typical self-seeking young man of his time. But then something happened which
was to change his life forever.
On
May 20, 1521, while fighting in a battle against the French, his right leg was
shattered by a French cannonball. Unfortunately, the attending doctors set his
leg wrong. It had to be broken and set
again. The surgery was excruciating but he survived it. During his convalescence,
Ignatius asked for books of chivalric romances but instead, much to his chagrin,
he was given the Life of Christ the Lives of the Saints. With nothing else to
do, he began to read, and before he knew it, he was overwhelmed by the
exploits of the Saints to the point where he decided that their lives were an
example worth emulating. This was the beginning of his transformation. He felt that God had given him a
New Vision, and opened his inner eyes and heart. Seeing everything anew in and
by the light of God, he decided he would no longer serve earthly kings, but
serve only the Heavenly King. His values, thoughts and actions had been
radically changed. His transformation was complete.
He
spent the next few years in Spain and Paris studying to become a priest. At the
University of Paris, he forged a strong bond with 6 committed companions who,
motivated by him, were also deeply transformed to love and serve God. They, in
turn, transformed many others in Europe, Asia and Africa. Everywhere they went
they inspired willing hearts to love and serve all in the greater glory of God.
He returned to I Gesuiti in 1535 with a group of friends, who already "called themselves" the Society of Jesus (members of which are referred to as Jesuits - Gesuiti in Italian) and here they were ordained as priests. It took just 2 years for the group to fully establish themselves in the lagoon of Venice and to gain a large following. They left for Rome in 1537. With
his 6 original companions, Ignatius founded, in 1540, the "The Society
of Jesus" in Rome. One of these loyal companions was Francis Xavier of St
Xaviers fame. Xavier came to India in 1542 and preached the message of love and
service to all. At great personal risk, he zealously carried this message to
South-east Asia and Japan. He died on December 3, 1552, on Sanchian Island
close to mainland China, after 10 long years of hectic and fruitful education
and evangelization works in Asia.
Xavier's
sacred body is preserved in the Church of Bom Jesus in Old Goa. It was there
that he opened the first Jesuit College in 1542. It was the precursor of many
such Jesuit schools and colleges to come up in India and Asia.
(source : Father Dominic Savio in TT)
I have studied in a Jesuit School in Kolkata. At the time of my visit, I had no clue about this Church. Only much later, I got to know about the importance of this church.
Then we left for Ca-d-oro to go to Santa Maria
Della Salute Church at the end of Grand Canal.The view towards Salute Church is jaw dropping !
The location of the church is also quite stunning.
From there, I started walking towards nearby The Peggy Guggenheim Museum (Located on the
Dorsoduro region of Venice, to the east of the Accademia bridge, on the
southern side of the Grand Canal).
The Peggy Guggenheim Museum offers
a personal collection of modern art collected by Peggy Guggenheim. Peggy was an
American married to modern artist Max Ernst. The gallery includes a sculpture
garden and works by Picasso, Kandinsky.Since the admission fees was very
steep at 15 Euro, instead of going inside the museum, I bought a picture from a local artist sitting just beside the Museum, for 10 Euro. He has been to India too. He stays nearby.
Then we left for Academia Vaporetto pier ( to go to Church of the Santissimo Redentore or Chiesa
del Santissimo Redentore). On the way I heard the most amazing piece of music I
have ever heard. Igor Sklyarov Russia
was playing some pieces from Fur Elise on my request. He has a group called Crystal Trio (www.crystaltrio.com) which is
a unique group from Russia. They perform on crystal
glass.
Glass Music, an ancient art which had success in many noble
houses of Europe, Russia and North America in the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries, was often included as an integral part of the symphony orchestra.
Crystal Trio continues to develop the tradition of musical glass by
playing well-known classical and popular modern works, as well as tunes
specifically written for glass instruments. The current
repertoire includes variations of popular classical melodies of Mozart,
Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky in addition to original pieces written
specifically for a crystal glass. The sound of the harmonic glass will
remind you of the murmur of a mountain stream, a soft, windy breeze or
mysterious wordless singing.
I had plan to go to Vivaldi's house in Venice, due to lack of time I could not manage it. Then we took Vaporetto to go to Church of the Santissimo Redentore. When we reached there it is almost dark. It is a 16th-century Roman Catholic church located on Giudecca (island) . It was constructed to thank God for the deliverance of the city from a major outbreak of the plague. It dominates the skyline of the island of Giudecca. It contains a number of paintings by artists including Tintoretto.
After spending some time there, we took a vaporetto to go to Cannaregio (my hotel is located at pat of Venice called Cannaregio). Instead of taking Grand Canal it took a different route, around the rail station and finally reached grand canal from the other side.
After reaching San Marculo pier we had our dinner and left for hostel, since we will leave early morning for Milan by Regional train. Unfortunately we could not go to Jewish Ghetto of Venice. Venice's ghetto was the first "ghetto" (coming from a Venetian word for the Iron Foundry that was on the site previously) and "ghetto" eventually came to mean any neighbourhood that was made up of a single ethnic/racial group. Today, Jewish life is still very active in the ghetto and elsewhere in Venice, and is home to 5 synagogues.
Please remember there is another water bus company called Alilaguna – which has a very limited number of routes (one of them takes you to the airport) and does not always run as often as one would expect. The ACTV (almost a synomym for vaporettos) on the other hand, offer many routes and allow visitors to go to all the islands in the Lagoon (i.e. Murano, Burano, Lido, Torcello). So do not mix up with ACTV and Alilaguna and there is separate ticket for each. There is also water taxi in Venice which is quite expensive.
ACTV really wants you to have a ticket that you've swiped against an electronic reader before you board. It's now illegal to be on a water bus platform without a validated ticket. If a vaporetto station doesn't have a ticket booth or machine, look for a nearby tabacchi shop (marked with a white "T" on a blue background) or a news stand that sells ACTV tickets.We did not face any problem since we bought our pass/tickets immediately on reaching Venice.
18/10/2016
Today we left for Milan. We
got up early and left for Milan. I forgot to buy the train ticket to Milan. Due
to surge pricing, the price became double. So instead of fast train, I bought the
regional train ticket online, using the wifi of my hotel.
Double decker train
I had to change three
trains to reach Mian. The journey was pleasant. Although I did not have print
out of ticket, e-ticket served the purpose. Initially I thought only one train
will take us to Milan.
Milan central station is quite big and architectural wonder. We sat
in front of the station and had our lunch over there.
I wanted to see
Gothic Milan Cathedral (Duomo) which took nearly six centuries to complete. It is the largest church in Italy (the larger St. Peter's Basilica is in the State of Vatican City) and the fifth largest in the world. I wanted to see Basilica Santa Maria delle Grazie, one of the most beautiful Italian churches and in the years 1495-1498 Leonardo da Vinci painted the famous mural "The Last Supper" here. How can
I leave Milan without seeing the San Siro stadium. But alas I had to miss all
of them. There was not enough time.
The place where Mohua was sitting is full of people from Albania,
Morocco, Nigeria. One of the Bangladeshi hawker warned us to be very careful
with our luggage. He told me the two ladies smoking cigarette beside Mohua are
from Albania and are drug peddlers and are also snatchers. So the only
time, I left Mohua alone, is to buy some cheese and bread from a very cheap
departmental store ( again guided by a Bangladeshi). I bought bread for 0.6
Euro. Mohua was keeping an eye on our bags (in fact the bags were tied to her body)
After spending some time there and finishing our lunch, we left by
an airport express bus to go to airport. The bus stop is just beside the Milan Centrale
station. We had many small bags with us. If we have left all of them with left
luggage counter , we would have to pay a fortune. And they will count for each
and every bag.That is why we could not roam around freely in Milan, even though
time was limited. So I decided to bring along a big plastic and put everything inside. India Juggad !
We took an Indian
Airlines plane to come back to India via Delhi.
44
Tips for Italy
Don't use third party booking websites or companies. Companies like
TickItaly will charge you MORE which you could easily make on the official
museum website yourself.
1. Get up early every once and a
while. Many cities, like Rome and Venice, have a completely
different feel without the hoards of tourists. It is worth it to get an early
start.
Money and time Saving Tips
Food – Eating out in the popular cities
of Italy is an expensive affair. Buy paninis and “pizza by the slice” and save
a lot of money. It will cost between 2-4 EUR. Typically pizza by slice
sells pizza at 10 Euro per kg. For me 300 gms were enough. We saved lot
of money by pizza by slice.
Fast food (i.e. McDonalds) will cost 9 EUR for a value meal.
At all restaurants, add 3 Euro for the “coperta” (sit down
fee) that covers service and the bread at the table. Pass on the bread – Some restaurants will charge
you extra for bread or breadsticks on the table but not tell you about
it until the bill comes. Send it back if you don’t want to be tempted. I have
paid coperta thrice. It is better to ask the coperta fee before your sit down
to eat. I paid coperta even while eating in a restaurant where some tables are
on the road (in front of the restaurant – in Venice)
§ Instead of having dinner out, have lunch instead. Many
restaurants have special lunch menu’s for workers . However we had hardly time
to have lunch.
§ Larger cities cater toward
tourists, and a decent meal may cost hundreds of Euros . Here the key is to
walk 5 blocks in any direction away from the main piazza or strada, and look for a restaurant with a menu out front
written only in Italian. Never eat at a restaurant with pictures on the
menu.
§ It helps to know the level of
service you should expect from an establishment. # An osteria will be your most
affordable option, and is good for quick meals and will have great wine. #
A trattoria is likely to be a traditional family run
restaurant, where you can find
local specialties. # For the top level of
service you would head to a ristorante,
where you will dine on white tablecloths with formal servers.However sometimes
your most memorable meal will be a pizza on the street in Naples, or chestnuts roasting on the sidewalk in Rome.
I Buongustai
Ristorante Caffagi
Ristorante Zaza
Caffe Greco. They
make the most amazing custard cake
Siene: Osteria Al
Grattacielo
The gelatos in San Gimignano were amaaaaazing! It
says ' world's best gelato'
Steaks in Florence
are famous
Transportation
The
best way to get around Italy is via their extensive train network. Fast trains
cost between 20-40 EUR per trip. The slower regional trains cost between 6-23
EUR per trip. (Take them!)
It is only takes 1.5 hour to get from Florence to Rome or Florence to Venice,
Plus the trains are comfortable and reliable. They are my preferred way to
travel around Italy. You can purchase tickets online or through a local travel
agent in Italy.
Activities
Most attractions and museums in Italy cost between 13-18 EUR to
enter.
Tipping
Tipping is customary in restaurants, but optional elsewhere.
All the fonts in
courier font are from different blogs, the list of which is given below :
http://www.adventurouskate.com/40-tips-for-visiting-italy/http://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/10-day-itinerary-for-italy-an-affordable-trip-to-rome-florence-and-venice.html
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4NlVkvRDkM/U3PM31JKAvI/AAAAAAAAD2o/deJiaMhvz1g/s1600/Florence_Map_Food.gif
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| Baptistery : the part of a church used for baptism. |
After getting down at the station, we took left and walked all the way to
the hostel .
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| First view of Venice after getting down at Santa Lucia station |
Initially I planned to stay at Lido - a small Island , South of Venice - a place where Venice film festival takes place. Before reaching our hostel we had to cross a bridge (Ponte) delle Guglie. Our hostel is a church converted to hostel. On the way the Bangladeshi brothers guided us to reach the hostel in no time. Intentionally I keep the hostels within walking distance from train or bus station. Most of the travel agents from India keep their guests stay at Venezia Mestre. Venice is an Island connected to the mainland (which includes Venezia Mestre. Padua and others). Venice is significantly more expensive that Mestre. On the advice of my friends I decided to stay there and paid one of the highest tariffs for the hostel fare in my life. But staying in Mestre is just like any other place in Italy. But to feel Venice, one must stay in Venice. I think I took a correct decision. After reached our hostel, I did have a look at around our hostel.It is is one of the most interesting and lovely places in the world.
Venice, the capital of northern Italy’s Veneto
region, is built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic
Sea. It has no roads, just canals – including the Grand Canal thoroughfare –
lined with Renaissance and Gothic palaces. The central square Piazza San
Marco contains St. Mark’s Basilica, which is tiled with Byzantine mosaics and
the Campanile or bell tower offering views of the city’s red roofs.
Few places in the world can claim to such a spectacular natural setting, untainted architectural heritage, or jaw-dropping Grand Canal. Venice’s museums are world class; its 141 churches are galleries in themselves. Other incredible sights include the Gothic Doge’s Palace and the Basilica of San Marco, which glows with Byzantine gold mosaics. Even the most seasoned visitors get lost in the city’s network of islands, bridges, pedestrian alleys, and canals. And therein lies the beauty of the destination: afternoons spent wandering from palace to piazza, exploring the small art museums, shopping at the stalls that line the streets, and encountering a fresh side of Venice, a fascinating amalgamation of influences—Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Italian — around every corner. But the focal point of Venice is Piazza San Marco.
Today we started our day with grand canal vaporetto (water buses) ride.
The major portion of the traffic of the city of Venice goes along the Grand Canal or Canal Grande and thus to avoid congestion of traffic, there are already 3 bridges – the Ponte dei Scalzi, the Ponte dell’ Accademia, and the Rialto Bridge. We took the boat from Ca-do-ro pier or vaporetto station. Vaporetti is plural !
We could have also taken the vaparetto from San Marcuola. Our destination is most famous destination in Venice - Piazza San Marco or San Marco square.
The square is a gathering place for both locals and visitors .Visitors
can enjoy the open space, which is lined with pleasant outdoor cafes and
restaurants and stores beneath the surrounding covered arcades(succession of arches). One of the most
famous cafes on the square is the Caffe Florian. The square is also known for
the many pigeons. You can buy some food from Bangladeshis to to feed
them.
The square is surrounded by some of the must-see sites of Venice like
the Doge's Palace where rulers lived and ran their court; the Basilica San
Marco; the basilica's free-standing campanile (bell tower); the Library of
Saint Mark's and St. Mark's Square Clock tower.
A church was constructed to house the saint's relics but burnt down almost 150 years later. It was rebuilt by Doge Domenico Contarini and the cathedral we see today dates back to 1071 but incorporates what remained of the original structures. When the adjacent Doge's Palace was renovated, the cathedral also got an architectural up-date and Gothic architecture was introduced like the elevated domes and a new façade. The Doge's (Dukes) of Venice used the building as their own private chapel until it became the Cathedral of Venice in 1807.
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| Ponte dei Sospiri : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Sighs |
Under Doge Ziani (1172-1178) additions to the structure and renovations were carried out following a destructive fire. In the 14th century the palace needed to be expanded again due to the increased number of participants in government affairs. Doge Franesco Foscari instigated further changes in the 15th century and several fires caused more renovations and construction.
Today we walked upto Orto pier
which is near the church Madonna dell'Orto.
It is a mistake,we should have taken it from Fondamente Nuove - which is the main pier.
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| Venice is full of shops of Masks. |
Murano’s reputation as a center for glassmaking was born when the Venetian Republic, fearing fire and destruction of the city’s mostly wooden buildings, ordered glassmakers to move their foundries to Murano in 1291. Murano's glass makers were soon the island’s most prominent citizens. However, glass makers were not allowed to leave the Republic. Exportation of professional secret was punished by death. Many craftsmen took this risk and set up glass furnaces in surrounding cities and as far as England and the Netherlands.
After that we went to another pier to leave for Burano. From Murano it takes around 30 minutes to reach Burano. Just before Burano is Mazzorbo Island.
I found it really fascinating to say the least. It is a photographer's delight.
It rose in importance only in the 16th century, when women on the island began making lace with needles, being introduced via Venetian-ruled Cyprus. When Leonardo da Vinci visited in 1481, he purchased a cloth for the main altar of the Duomo di Milano. The lace was soon exported across Europe, but trade began to decline in the 18th century and the industry did not revive until 1872, when a school of lace making was opened.
Lace making on the island boomed again, but few now make lace in the traditional manner as it is extremely time-consuming and therefore expensive. Many shops are selling lacework.
Every
year on July 31, the Jesuits celebrate the Feast of St Ignatius of Loyola.
Ignatius is the Founder of our Religious Order, called the Society of Jesus, popularly known as Jesuits.
The
youngest son of a noble chief, Ignatius was
born in Loyola, Spain, in 1491. Reared to be a Courtier in the service of
the Crown, his desire was to win fame as a soldier of great valour. He was the
typical self-seeking young man of his time. But then something happened which
was to change his life forever.
On
May 20, 1521, while fighting in a battle against the French, his right leg was
shattered by a French cannonball. Unfortunately, the attending doctors set his
leg wrong. It had to be broken and set
again. The surgery was excruciating but he survived it. During his convalescence,
Ignatius asked for books of chivalric romances but instead, much to his chagrin,
he was given the Life of Christ the Lives of the Saints. With nothing else to
do, he began to read, and before he knew it, he was overwhelmed by the
exploits of the Saints to the point where he decided that their lives were an
example worth emulating. This was the beginning of his transformation. He felt that God had given him a
New Vision, and opened his inner eyes and heart. Seeing everything anew in and
by the light of God, he decided he would no longer serve earthly kings, but
serve only the Heavenly King. His values, thoughts and actions had been
radically changed. His transformation was complete.
He spent the next few years in Spain and Paris studying to become a priest. At the University of Paris, he forged a strong bond with 6 committed companions who, motivated by him, were also deeply transformed to love and serve God. They, in turn, transformed many others in Europe, Asia and Africa. Everywhere they went they inspired willing hearts to love and serve all in the greater glory of God.
He returned to I Gesuiti in 1535 with a group of friends, who already "called themselves" the Society of Jesus (members of which are referred to as Jesuits - Gesuiti in Italian) and here they were ordained as priests. It took just 2 years for the group to fully establish themselves in the lagoon of Venice and to gain a large following. They left for Rome in 1537. With his 6 original companions, Ignatius founded, in 1540, the "The Society of Jesus" in Rome. One of these loyal companions was Francis Xavier of St Xaviers fame. Xavier came to India in 1542 and preached the message of love and service to all. At great personal risk, he zealously carried this message to South-east Asia and Japan. He died on December 3, 1552, on Sanchian Island close to mainland China, after 10 long years of hectic and fruitful education and evangelization works in Asia.
Xavier's
sacred body is preserved in the Church of Bom Jesus in Old Goa. It was there
that he opened the first Jesuit College in 1542. It was the precursor of many
such Jesuit schools and colleges to come up in India and Asia.
(source : Father Dominic Savio in TT)
I have studied in a Jesuit School in Kolkata. At the time of my visit, I had no clue about this Church. Only much later, I got to know about the importance of this church.
The location of the church is also quite stunning.
From there, I started walking towards nearby The Peggy Guggenheim Museum (Located on the
Dorsoduro region of Venice, to the east of the Accademia bridge, on the
southern side of the Grand Canal).
The Peggy Guggenheim Museum offers a personal collection of modern art collected by Peggy Guggenheim. Peggy was an American married to modern artist Max Ernst. The gallery includes a sculpture garden and works by Picasso, Kandinsky.Since the admission fees was very steep at 15 Euro, instead of going inside the museum, I bought a picture from a local artist sitting just beside the Museum, for 10 Euro. He has been to India too. He stays nearby.
Then we left for Academia Vaporetto pier ( to go to Church of the Santissimo Redentore or Chiesa
del Santissimo Redentore). On the way I heard the most amazing piece of music I
have ever heard. Igor Sklyarov Russia
was playing some pieces from Fur Elise on my request. He has a group called Crystal Trio (www.crystaltrio.com) which is
a unique group from Russia. They perform on crystal
glass.
Glass Music, an ancient art which had success in many noble houses of Europe, Russia and North America in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, was often included as an integral part of the symphony orchestra.
I had plan to go to Vivaldi's house in Venice, due to lack of time I could not manage it. Then we took Vaporetto to go to Church of the Santissimo Redentore. When we reached there it is almost dark. It is a 16th-century Roman Catholic church located on Giudecca (island) . It was constructed to thank God for the deliverance of the city from a major outbreak of the plague. It dominates the skyline of the island of Giudecca. It contains a number of paintings by artists including Tintoretto.
After spending some time there, we took a vaporetto to go to Cannaregio (my hotel is located at pat of Venice called Cannaregio). Instead of taking Grand Canal it took a different route, around the rail station and finally reached grand canal from the other side.
After reaching San Marculo pier we had our dinner and left for hostel, since we will leave early morning for Milan by Regional train. Unfortunately we could not go to Jewish Ghetto of Venice. Venice's ghetto was the first "ghetto" (coming from a Venetian word for the Iron Foundry that was on the site previously) and "ghetto" eventually came to mean any neighbourhood that was made up of a single ethnic/racial group. Today, Jewish life is still very active in the ghetto and elsewhere in Venice, and is home to 5 synagogues.
Please remember there is another water bus company called Alilaguna – which has a very limited number of routes (one of them takes you to the airport) and does not always run as often as one would expect. The ACTV (almost a synomym for vaporettos) on the other hand, offer many routes and allow visitors to go to all the islands in the Lagoon (i.e. Murano, Burano, Lido, Torcello). So do not mix up with ACTV and Alilaguna and there is separate ticket for each. There is also water taxi in Venice which is quite expensive.
ACTV really wants you to have a ticket that you've swiped against an electronic reader before you board. It's now illegal to be on a water bus platform without a validated ticket. If a vaporetto station doesn't have a ticket booth or machine, look for a nearby tabacchi shop (marked with a white "T" on a blue background) or a news stand that sells ACTV tickets.We did not face any problem since we bought our pass/tickets immediately on reaching Venice.
Today we left for Milan. We got up early and left for Milan. I forgot to buy the train ticket to Milan. Due to surge pricing, the price became double. So instead of fast train, I bought the regional train ticket online, using the wifi of my hotel.
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| Double decker train |
Milan central station is quite big and architectural wonder. We sat
in front of the station and had our lunch over there.
I wanted to see Gothic Milan Cathedral (Duomo) which took nearly six centuries to complete. It is the largest church in Italy (the larger St. Peter's Basilica is in the State of Vatican City) and the fifth largest in the world. I wanted to see Basilica Santa Maria delle Grazie, one of the most beautiful Italian churches and in the years 1495-1498 Leonardo da Vinci painted the famous mural "The Last Supper" here. How can I leave Milan without seeing the San Siro stadium. But alas I had to miss all of them. There was not enough time.
The place where Mohua was sitting is full of people from Albania, Morocco, Nigeria. One of the Bangladeshi hawker warned us to be very careful with our luggage. He told me the two ladies smoking cigarette beside Mohua are from Albania and are drug peddlers and are also snatchers. So the only time, I left Mohua alone, is to buy some cheese and bread from a very cheap departmental store ( again guided by a Bangladeshi). I bought bread for 0.6 Euro. Mohua was keeping an eye on our bags (in fact the bags were tied to her body)
After spending some time there and finishing our lunch, we left by an airport express bus to go to airport. The bus stop is just beside the Milan Centrale station. We had many small bags with us. If we have left all of them with left luggage counter , we would have to pay a fortune. And they will count for each and every bag.That is why we could not roam around freely in Milan, even though time was limited. So I decided to bring along a big plastic and put everything inside. India Juggad !
It is only takes 1.5 hour to get from Florence to Rome or Florence to Venice, Plus the trains are comfortable and reliable. They are my preferred way to travel around Italy. You can purchase tickets online or through a local travel agent in Italy.
All the fonts in courier font are from different blogs, the list of which is given below :
